Pasta

Also, I won’t discuss preparation of the pasta, just boil in water (1/2 tsp salt/quart) according to the package instructions. Always keep some of the pasta water for the sauce before you drain.

Most dishes are for 4 people and use something like 360 g (3/4 lb or 12 oz), 90 g (3 oz) pasta per person.

Unless cheeses are being used in the recipes, grated parmigiano or grated pecorino Romano are always assumed for serving

Pasta with Canned Tomatoes or Tomato Passata

When I grew up in the 70s, Pastasciutta , Italian for dried pasta, was a standard dish, spaghetti with tomato sauce and a little bag of spices, all in a cardboard box from Kraft. A variation included to add some fried ground pork (no ground beef in Germany) and onions to it. The following recipes are quite some upgrades.

Here is a great overview on tomato sauces from Jacqi (https://www.the-pasta-project.com/7-italian-homemade-tomato-sauce-recipes/):

Italians make tomato sauce with mostly either homemade or canned passata or peeled fresh or canned tomatoes or a combination of fresh tomatoes and passata. The tomatoes are most often San Marzano, but many also make tomato sauce with fresh or canned cherry or datterini tomatoes. In addition, Italians use crushed (polpa) or chopped (pezzettoni) canned tomatoes instead of smooth passata.

Tomato sauce has other ingredients. In Southern Italy, they traditionally just use olive oil, garlic and basil. This Southern Italian tomato sauce is also called ‘alla marinara’. However, there are versions of marinara sauce that include ingredients like onions, oregano, white wine, parsley and pepperoncino (red chilli pepper).

Penne al Pomodoro

The classic basic recipe from Jaqui’s blog, just canned tomatoes, garlic, and basil (https://www.the-pasta-project.com/wprm_print/penne-pomodoro-recipe-easy-tomato-basil-pasta)

Ingredients: 14 ounces canned peeled tomatoes best is San Marzano, 1 handful fresh basil leaves, pepperoncino flakes,

Instructions

· Heat the olive oil in a deep skillet or frying pan over a medium heat. Once hot and shimmering, add in peeled whole garlic cloves, and cook them until fragrant and soft.

· Turn the heat down a little and add in the canned peeled tomatoes. Break the tomatoes up with a wooden spoon. Bring to a simmer for at least 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then, season with salt and pepper and add basil leaves. Simmer for another 5-10 minutes. Remove the whole garlic cloves.

· Reduce heat for the sauce to low. Add cooked pasta and continue to cook for a minute or so, tossing occasionally, until the sauce coats the pasta. If the sauce is too thick, you can add some of the pasta water. Taste and season with salt as desired. Serve with additional basil and freshly grated parmigiano cheese.

Spaghettini al pomodoro di Peppe Guida

This is recipe is a recipe from a pasta maker in Gragnano, from Jaqui’s blog (https://www.the-pasta-project.com/best-spaghetti-tomato-sauce-ever-la-devozione/#recipe). It uses a special preparation of the spaghetti, cooking them in the sauce, and pushing the tomatoes through a strainer, but normal prepared spaghetti and crushed tomatoes or passata will do as well.

Jacqui suggests spaghettini from Pastificio dei Campi, but any spaghetti or spaghettini will do.

Ingredients

2 garlic cloves peeled, fresh basil, Parmigiano, 600-700 g ripe date tomatoes (21-24 oz) You can also use canned whole date tomatoes or San Marzano tomatoes

Instructions

· Blend half of the whole tomatoes and pass through a sieve to remove the skin and seeds. Then crush the other half using a fork and pass through the sieve as well. You will obtain a fairly watery tomato sauce but it will thicken while cooking.

- If you are using canned tomatoes just pour the contents of the cans (tomatoes and juice) through a sieve.

- If using larger types of tomatoes like San Marzano, it's better to peel the tomatoes first by immersing them in boiling water and then removing the skins.

· Peel the garlic and cook in the olive oil until it starts to soften. Add the tomato sauce and cook for about 5-10 minutes over a medium heat.

· Add the uncooked spaghetti (You can cook the spaghetti for 4-5 minutes in boiling salted water) to the sauce. Be careful not to try to stir too roughly initially as the spaghetti may break.

· The starch from the pasta will thicken the sauce. If it gets too dry add a little water. Cook until the spaghetti is al dente. Add salt to taste and serve immediately with some fresh basil leaves and grated cheese if required.

Pasta alla Scarpariello da Napoli (shoemaker's sauce)

Ingredients

· 250 g datterini or cherry tomatoes (9oz) or large can (28 oz) peeled tomatoes and no passata

· 450g/15 oz (small can) g tomato passata (15oz)

· 1-2 garlic cloves peeled and crushed

· 40 g Parmigiano (1.5oz) grated

· 40 g Pecorino (1.5oz) grated

· 1 handful fresh basil leaves washed and torn into pieces

· 1 teaspoon peperoncino flakes (optional)

Jacqi uses penne rigate or spaghett

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and fry the crushed garlic until it starts to soften. Then add peperoncino/chili pepper and some of the basil.
Add the cherry/datterini tomatoes cut into halves or quarters (or canned peeled tomatoes). When the tomatoes have softened pour in the tomato passata.
Simmer for about 15 minutes, remove the garlic and add salt and pepper to taste.
Cook the pasta a couple of minutes less than necessary for it to be al dente (it will finish cooking in the tomato sauce), drain it and add to the sauce. Cook both together for 2-3 more minutes until the pasta is cooked.
Turn the heat to low and add the Parmigiano and pecorino cheese a handful at a time while mixing everything together well. You want the cheese to melt in the hot sauce.
Serve immediately with fresh basil leaves and extra cheese if required.

Spicy Pasta arrabiata from Rome

This has some chili peppers to make it angry (arrabiata) : https://www.the-pasta-project.com/arrabbiata/

Ingredients

2 garlic cloves peeled

100 g pecorino Romano or parmigiano grated

2 fresh chilli peppers peperoncino. I red, 1 green or 2 red

1 handful fresh parsley chopped

400 g ripe tomatoes (14oz) peeled or 12 cherry tomatoes and 350 g passata rustica, or 450 g 14.5 oz) canned crushed tomatoes

Jaqui uses Bucatini, Hesse uses Penne, but also 100 g/3.5 oz Guanciale or pancetta and a diced onion.

If you are using fresh tomatoes, peel them and cut them into cubes
Peel and dice the garlic. (Jaqui keeps it whole and removes it at the end)
Cut the chilli peppers in half, remove the seeds and then cut them into small strips.
If you’re using pancetta and diced onions, saute them in olive oil or/and butter
Add the garlic cloves and the chilli peppers to the pan and cook for a minute or two, stirring with a wooden spoon to prevent them from burning.
Then add the peeled tomatoes cut into cubes or the cherry tomatoes and cook for a few seconds at a high heat.
Lower the heat and add salt and pepper to taste.
If you are using cherry tomatoes and passata, add the passata now.
Stir well and then simmer the sauce uncovered for 15 minutes.
When the pasta is cooked, drain it and add it to the sauce.
Serve the pasta with a sprinkling of fresh parsley and grated pecorino Romano (optional).

Bucatini all'Amatrician

It is thought that the sauce known as Amatriciana originated in the town of Amatrice in the central Italian region of Lazio. This recipe is from the Ristorante Cacciani in Frascati, which has been serving customers in Lazio since 1922. (https://www.washingtonpost.com/recipes/bucatini-allamatriciana/)

Ingredients

1 medium yellow onion (8 oz, 244 g), finely chopped

6 ounces guanciale (may substitute pancetta or bacon), chopped (1 cup)

2 cloves garlic, minced or grated

½ cup dry white wine, such as pinot grigio

One (28-ounce) can plum tomatoes or diced tomatoes

1 teaspoon seeded and finely chopped serrano chile (may substitute ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes)

2/3 cup grated pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for serving

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaf (optional)

The recipe calls for bucatini pasta

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil until it shimmers. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to turn golden brown, about 8 minutes.
Add the guanciale and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pork is cooked, about 5 minutes.
Add the wine, scrape up any browned bits at the bottom of the pan, and cook until it evaporates, 3 to 5 minutes, then add the tomatoes and their juices, the chile and salt.
Reduce the heat to low so the sauce is at a simmer and cook until the tomatoes have broken down – use your spoon to help them along if necessary – and absorbed the flavors of the onion, garlic and pork, about 30 minutes.
Drain the pasta and transfer to a serving bowl. Add the sauce, cheese and basil, and toss to combine. Serve family-style or in shallow bowls, with more grated cheese on the side.

After making this, I would suggest to first cook the guanciale, take it out and discard the fat, if you’re conscious about the fat intake. But it makes the taste. The continue with onions, add the guanciale and garlic for a few minutes, and then the wine.

Pasta alla Pizzaiola (Puglia)

Ingredients

500 g tomato passata (17oz) or canned peeled tomatoes

12 cherry tomatoes (washed and cut into halves)

250 g fresh mozzarella (9oz) cut into small pieces

1-2 garlic cloves peeled

1-2 anchovy fillets, salted or preserved in oil

1-2 teaspoon oregano dried or 2-4 teaspoon fresh

1 tablespoon capers, salted (wash under running water) or preserved in vinegar

Jacqui suggests pennoni pasta, a larger, wider version of penne

Instructions

In a high-sided skillet or frying pan, sauté the garlic cloves, the anchovy fillets, the capers and the cherry tomatoes together with the olive oil. After a few minutes, once the anchovies have melted, add the tomato passata.
Cook over a medium heat for about fifteen minutes. When half cooked, add salt to taste and sprinkle with the oregano, leave to simmer and flavor for 10 more minutes. Remove the garlic.
Remove some of the sauce from the pan. When it’s cooked, drain the pasta and add to the skillet/frying pan with the sauce. Mix everything together well to distribute the sauce evenly.
Plate the pasta after putting a nice spoonful of the saved sauce in the bottom of the bowl/plate and put some mozzarella pieces onto the pasta before serving.

Red Hen Mezzi Rigatoni With Fennel Sausage Ragu

This recipe was featured in the Washington Post (https://www.washingtonpost.com/recipes/red-hen-mezzi-rigatoni-fennel-sausage-ragu/) before they caved to Trump) and is based on chef Michael Friedman’s fennel and sausage pasta that President Biden and first lady Jill Biden both ordered at Washington’s Red Hen.

Ingredients

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

One (24-ounce) jar tomato passata

2 teaspoons fennel pollen or a pinch dill seed or Anis seed

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 pound mild Italian sausage, preferably from links with casings removed, broken into 1-inch pieces

2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter

5 tablespoons finely grated pecorino Romano, plus more for serving

3 tablespoons finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Michael uses rigatoni or penne rigate pasta

Instructions

In a small skillet over low heat, toast the fennel seeds until fragrant, 5 to 7 minutes, cool and finely grind
In a cold large pot, combine 1/4 cup of the olive oil and the garlic. Turn the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is lightly toasted around the edges, 3 to 5 minutes.
Slowly stir in the passata, followed by the ground fennel, fennel pollen, oregano, salt and black pepper. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until somewhat thickened and darker, 20 to 25 minutes. When you drag a spatula through the sauce, it should briefly hold a line where you can see the pan underneath.
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the remaining olive oil, add the sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until well-browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer the sausage with a slotted spoon on a strainer and drain the fat.
Add the sausage to the tomato sauce and continue to simmer for an additional 10 to 15 minutes.
Reduce the heat under the sauce to low and stir in the butter until it is incorporated and the mixture is glossy.
Add the pecorino Romano and Parmigiano-Reggiano and stir to incorporate and create a smooth sauce.
Add the cooked pasta to the tomato sauce. Gradually add the pasta water, stirring until the sauce coats the pasta. If it seems a bit runny, continue to cook and stir over low heat until the sauce adheres to the rigatoni.
Transfer to a serving platter or bowl and serve warm, topped generously with more grated pecorino Romano.

Gramigna alla Salsiccia

This gramigna pasta recipe from Bologna is one of the simplest sausage pasta recipes to make! It only has 3 main ingredients (https://www.the-pasta-project.com/gramigna-alla-salsiccia-sausage/#recipe )

14 oz Gramigna (400g) dried will take longer to cook than fresh

16 oz Pork sausages (450g) Italian

1 medium Onion peeled and finely diced

1 glass White wine

20 oz Tomato passata (500g)

2 oz Parmigiano Reggiano (50g)

Instructions

Remove the skin from the sausage and chop into chunks.
Fry the onion in olive oil until it starts to soften
Add the sausage meat and continue cooking until it starts to brown.
Add the white wine and cook for a further few minutes.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Add the passata or chopped tomatoes and simmer the sauce for 20-25 minutes ( If it gets too dry you can pour in a little water or more wine)
Cook the pasta al dente according to the instructions on the packet.
When the pasta is cooked and strained add it to the sauce and cook everything together for a further minute, stirring the sauce into the pasta.
Serve with grated Parmigiano Reggiano.

Spaghetti alla Puttanesca

Some believe that it was a dish made by a brothel owner in the Spanish quarter (red light district) of Naples, because Spaghetti alla Puttanesca literally means prostitute’s spaghetti! The first recipe is from Jacqi, and it keeps the ingredients somewhat larger (https://www.the-pasta-project.com/spaghetti-alla-puttanesca/#recipe) than my wife’s favorite from die echte italienische küche.

Ingredients

3-4 cloves garlic thinly sliced

6-8 anchovy fillets finely chopped

1 teaspoon peperoncino flakes (Italian red chili pepper) or 1- ½ chopped peperoncino

1-3 tablespoon capers drained and chopped

3.5 oz pitted black or green olives, very roughly chopped

14 oz (400 g) fresh sauce tomatoes (San Marzano or datterini) peeled (heat in boiling water) , deseeded and chopped (or 1 can of canned whole tomatoes, drained)

1 handful fresh parsley leaves chopped

Recommended pasta is Spaghetti

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet. Add the garlic, anchovies, and peperoncino. Cook over medium heat until the garlic is fragrant and the anchovies have dissolved, about 5 minutes.

Add capers, a bit of parsley and olives and stir to combine.

Add the tomatoes to the pan and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.

Add the drained spaghetti (cook to just before al dente) and a splash of pasta water to the sauce.

Cook, stirring and shaking the pan and adding more pasta water as necessary to keep the sauce a little liquidly until pasta is perfectly al dente. Sprinkle in more parsley and taste to season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Maya’s recipe from the “Die echte italienische küche’ is pretty much the same, just chop the garlic, and chop the capers, olives and pepperoncini even smaller. It also uses some tomato paste (2 tbsp) when adding the tomatoes.

Penne alla Vodka

Penne alla vodka, also called pasta alla Russa, is a delicious creamy vintage pasta with vodka, very much in vogue in Italy during the 1970s and 80s. While cream (northern Italy) and tomatoes (southern Italy) is barely mixed, the addition of the vodka seems to prevent the acidity of the tomatoes to make the fat in the cream separate.

This recipe is from Jacqui (https://www.the-pasta-project.com/penne-alla-vodka/ ), but there are many different versions, this one with pancetta is the original, you could use prosciutto or add cremini mushrooms. Natasha ( https://www.saltandlavender.com/penne-alla-vodka-recipe/ ) uses no meat and tomato paste instead tomatoes.

Ingredients

200 g pancetta (7oz) diced

1 small onion peeled and chopped

300 g tomato passata (10.5oz) or a 14 oz can of crushed San Marzano Tomatoes if no cherry tomatoes

10-12 cherry tomatoes halved

2/3 cup (150 ml) Heavy cream

½ cup vodka

1 teaspoon peperoncino flakes (red chili pepper) or as required

The dish calls for penne pasta

Instructions

Cook the onion in a large skillet with olive oil until it becomes transparent. Add the diced pancetta and brown it. Deglaze with the vodka over a high heat and let the alcohol evaporate. Add the red chili pepper and then add the cherry tomato halves and cook until they soften slightly.
Add tomato passata and cook over low heat for 15 minutes until the sauce has reduced. Add salt to taste. Add the cream and mix the ingredients together carefully.
Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and mix well. Serve with freshly ground black pepper and grated parmigiano.

Pasta with Calamari and Tomatoes

This recipe is actually from Jaqui ‘s husband who is from Sicily (https://www.the-pasta-project.com/pasta-with-calamari-datterini-tomatoes/ ). Most calamari pasta recipes originate in the Southern regions of Sicily, Campania, Calabria and Puglia.

Ingredients

1 lb Fresh baby calamari cleaned and cut into rings and small pieces

1 lb Cherry tomatoes

5 cloves Garlic (4 chopped and 1 whole clove)

½ Fresh pepperoncino or 1 teaspoon of pepperoncino flakes

½ glass Dry white wine (2.5floz)

handfuls Fresh parsley, chopped

Jacqui suggests Paccheri (large short cubes) or spaghetti

Instructions

Meanwhile, in a large frying pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic (chopped and whole) and pepperoncino (or chili flakes). Sauté until the garlic starts to soften.
Add the tomatoes and cook for about 10-15 minutes, until the tomatoes begin to soften. This differentiates this dish from the next, Calamarata).
Mix in the calamari and pour in two-thirds of the white wine and continue to simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the calamari is cooked. Make sure to stir the calamari frequently to prevent it from overcooking.
Remove the whole garlic clove, add parsley and the rest of the wine to the sauce, stir and cook for another minute.
Mix in the pasta with the calamari sauce. If the pasta sauce looks dry, mix in a splash of pasta water.
Taste and season accordingly with salt and serve.

La Calamarata

This recipe, also from Jaqui (https://www.the-pasta-project.com/la-calamarata/ ), is a classic dish from southern Italy. Jaqui suggests to use Calamarata pasta, large pasta rings the resemble the shape od squid tubes, also with black pasta that have been made with squid ink. You could use Paccheri pasta, or maybe just short Rigatoni (if you mage them yourself)/.

Jaqui has a description of how to make these pasta (https://www.the-pasta-project.com/paccheri/ ), essentially fresh pasta squares made with flour and egg, and then rolled around a rolling pin.

The ingredients are about the same as in the last recipe, Pasta with Calamari and Tomatoes, according to Jaqui you need a cup of wine.

A big difference to the previous pasta is that the squid are cooked first, the more traditional way. Cooking times for the squid are critical.

Ingredients

For this recipe you half the cherry tomatoes
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan or skillet over low heat. Add the garlic cloves (only 2) and chopped chili pepper, frying gently for 5–10 minutes until softened and fragrant.
Add the prepared squid and a pinch of salt. Cook for a few minutes until the squid turns white.
Increase the heat and pour in the white wine (1 cup). Allow the alcohol to evaporate, then reduce the heat and add the halved tomatoes.
Simmer for 10–15 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. Remove the garlic cloves.
Add the pasta directly to the pan with the sauce and mix together well. Add the chopped parsley and mix again. Serve immediately.
½ Fresh pepperoncino or 1 teaspoon of pepperoncino flakes (with the pepperoncini this is called Polpi ala Luciana)

Polpi alla Napolitana

This is from “Die Echte Italienische Küche”, pg 258, one of our favorites. Its originally actually not a pasta sauce but a squid preparation, but we always have it with spaghetti or linguini. One difference to other pasta sauces is is that the squid are cooked here quite a long time.

Ingredients

1.5 lb Fresh baby calamari cleaned and cut into rings and small pieces

1 .5 lb ripe tomatoes or 28 oz of canned tomatoes

4 cloves Garlic, chopped

Juice of ½ lemon

50 g/ 2 oz green pitted olives, chopped

2 small onions, chopped

½ cup dry white wine

Handful of fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

For this recipe you peel and dice the tomatoes if you’re not using canned ones

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the squid pieces and fry them stirring constantly.
Add the onions and cook until they are translucent.
Season with salt and add the lemon juice.
Add the Tomatoes and garlic cloves (and chopped chili peppers) , bring it to a boil and add the white wine.
Cover the pot and let it cook for 45 minutes.
Add the olives and parsley, check the squids for softness, season with pepper and salt, and, if you like, cook at higher heat to thicken the sauce.

Eggplant Penne Ossi

The following is my own recipe, refined over 30+ years. You could say it’s a combination of a number of pasta dishes, but what pasta dish isn’t ? My friend George and his wife May wanted me to cook it for their Wedding Anniversary, and just this year (2024) I had a chance to cook it for George again.

In this case, I even made the penne

Ingredients

450 g / 1 lb Penne Rigate or Rigatoni

240g (8 oz) fresh chopped pork pancetta

1 onion, peeled and coarsely chopped

2-3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 medium to large, or 2 small eggplants

1 can (800g or 1 ¾ lb) crushed San Marzano tomatoes

6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 pepperoncino, finely chopped, or hot pepper flakes

Salt and pepper to taste

Fresh Mozzarella, cut into ¼” cubes

Fresh Basil, cut into stripes

Preparation

Cut the Eggplants into 3/8 inch /1 cm (pinky size) cubes, salt and them with 2 tablespoons of salt, let stand in a strainer to allow the liquid to drop, or press the liquid out with a cheese cloth.

Add olive oil and the chopped pancetta to a cast-iron pan and cook over medium heat until the pancetta has melted.

Add the onions and garlic, cook, stirring constantly, until softened.

Add the eggplant and cook for 10 – 15 minutes

Add the tomatoes and cook for another 15-20 minutes.

Add pepper and salt to taste.

Serve with Mozzarella cubes and fresh Basil.

Pasta Bolognese

Wine Pairing: F. Stephan Millier, 2021 Black Label Old Vine Zinfandel, Lodi

Bolognese Ragu is one of my favorites to make. It goes with many pasta, including lasagne,although when I was cooking it at the Seminar for complex systems in Klosters, Ch., in 1983, Annelise, an Italien student, asked what I am making. I said "Spaghetti Bolognese", and she respondet "I don't know Spaghetti Bolognese, but there is macceroni Bolognese.". The closest to Italian macceroni (long tubes, not the horns used in macceroni and cheese) I could find in the US (or make) is bucatini.

Depending on what’s available, the ingredients can change – don’t let the Italian cooking police see you though* (https://www.tasteatlas.com/bolognese/recipe/italian-academy-of-cuisines-2023-ragu-alla-bolognese)

Ingredients

About 450g (1 lb) ground beef with some pork (I’ve also used some veal in there*). You can also use some Salsiccia (Italian sausage) meat instead of pork.
240 g (8 oz) pork pancetta, finely chopped (can be skipped too)
About 1 onion peeled and finely chopped
1-2 medium carrots, peeled and finely chopped
1-2 celery stalks or celery roots (or parsley roots*), trimmed and finely chopped
250 ml (1 cup) of red or white wine
250 ml (1 cup) of vegetable or chicken broth (or just water)
800g (1 lb 12 oz, a large can) crushed (San Marzano) tomatoes (I like the tomato taste; the original uses less tomatoes, or even passata, the strained tomatoes)
2 tbsp tomato paste
1-2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped*
2 tbsp fresh oregano leaves, finely chopped*
1-2 bay leaves*
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Sugar*, salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Add olive oil and the pancetta to a heavy pan or cast-iron pot and cook over medium heat until the pancetta has melted.
Add the finely chopped root vegetables ( I prefer onions first) and cook, stirring constantly, until softened and caramelized.
Some just add the meat, I prefer to remove the pancetta and vegetables with a slotted spoon, up the heat a little, and cook the meet (preferable in small portions) until sizzling and browned, about 10 minutes making sure you break up all the lumps with a wooden spoon. You could do this forst as well, setting the meat aside.
Add the vegetables back in, together with the garlic, oregano, 1-2 bay leaves, and tomato paste, cook a few minutes while stirring.
Pour in the wine and cook until its almost evaporated, stirring to make sure everything from the bottom is dissolved.
Now add the broth as well as the tomatoes, stir and bring to a boil, cover and let simmer for 30 minutes.
7Add pepper and salt, and probably some sugar to break the tomato acid to taste (don’t burn your mouth) and continue to let it simmers for another 1-2 hours.
If you use it as a ragu for pasta, or for pre-fab lasagna sheets, you can add chicken broth or water to make it more liquid. For home-made lasagna pasta, keep it more solid without it burning or drying up.

As pasta, you can use 450 g / 1 lb (for 4-6 people) Tagliatelle, Bucatini, or Penne. I was told by Anneliese from Trento that there is only Maccaroni Bolognese (which in Italy is more like a bucatini rigate). Serve it with grated Parmigiano or Pecorino cheese.

* As deposited at the Bologna Chamber of Commerce on the 20th of April 2023 by the Italian Academy of Cuisine, veal, smoked bacon or smoked pancetta, garlic, rosemary, parsley or any other spices are not allowed. Allowed are Chicken liver, Salsiccia, mushrooms, and peas.

Tagliolini alla Langarola with Sausage, Liver and Porcini

Jacqui https://www.the-pasta-project.com/tagliolini-pasta-alla-langarola-with-sausage/

The following is a version from Langhe with chicken liver

Ingredients

1 lb / 400 g tagliolini pasta

1 oz / 30 g dried or frozen porcini soaked (if dried) and chopped (can do without)

1 onion peeled and finely chopped

1 carrot peeled and finely chopped

1 stalk celery trimmed and finely chopped

½ lb / 200 g chicken livers cleaned and chopped

½ lb / 200 g salsiccia (Italian pork sausage), skinned and chopped

½ cup red wine

18 oz / 500 g crushed tomatoes or cherry tomatoes or 500 ml tomato passata

2 bay leaves

2 tbsp butter

salt and black pepper to taste and for pasta

Fresh parsley chopped and grated Grana cheese for serving

In a large skillet over medium-high heat add the butter, chopped chicken livers and bay leaves.
Cook the chicken livers until they are brown, then add the chopped sausage meat, stirring to combine.
Add another small knob of butter and add the chopped onion, celery and carrot. Sauté the vegetables for about 4-5 minutes until they are softened.
Add the chopped porcini to the skillet and continue to sauté the mixture for another 4 minutes.
Pour in half a glass of red wine, let it evaporate, then add the tomato passata/cherry tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Cover the skillet and simmer the sauce over a low heat for at least 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, boil the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente.
Stir in another knob of butter of butter into the sauce then mix in the pasta gently, and serve with a sprinkle of fresh parsley and a good amount of grated Grana cheese

Pasta without Tomatoes

Corzetti Pasta

Corzetti Pasta with Osso Bucco sauce

We had sauce left from osso bucco the day before, so we used it to try the Corzetti pasta stamps I just had gotten. Any of the sauces will work, like butter,parmigiano and pine nuts.

For the corzetti pasta

300 g all purpose flour ('00' flower is too fine)
50ml white wine (1/4 cup) If your dough seems dry add a bit of tepid water. You can also use only water.
3 egg yolks
1 pinch salt
Recipe is from my favorite pasta blog: https://www.the-pasta-project.com/homemade-corzetti-pasta-with-marjoram-pine-nuts/

Preparation

I learned pasta dough is easier made by hand:

Sift the flour on a pastry board, make a large well in it and put the egg yolks and wine. Mix the ingredients a little with a fork, bringing a little flour towards the center and then knead for about ten minutes.

Form your dough into a ball and let it rest for at least half an hour at room temperature, wrapped in plastic wrap.

Use the pasta machine to generate the pasta plates, not too thin (1 mm).

Use one of the stamps to cut out the circles from the pasta dough. Now put the circle on the bottom stamp, and press the stamp with the handle on top. Remove the pasta from the stamp onto a floured kitchen towel.

Cook the pasta medallions in a pot of boiling water (with some salt and a tbsp of olive oil) a few at a time ( Don’t put more than 20 corzetti in the pot together and aim for 10- 12 per person). Once they rise to the surface let them continue cooking for 3-4 minutes. Make sure you check the pasta before you remove it from the water. Once it’s ready, remove with a slotted spoon and add to the sauce.

Place a pasta disc on the stamp

Press the stamps together

This is what they look like

Carbonara, Cacio e Pepe, and alla Gricia

When in Rome, the four pasta dishes that you are most likely to find in any trattoria or osteria (tavern) are Carbonara, Cacio e Pepe, Amatriciana and alla Gricia. The last one, outside Rome, is the least well known. It is actually the oldest of these Roman pasta recipes and considered to be the original recipe from which the other 3 recipes developed. Think about it! Add some eggs to this dish and you have a carbonara. Add tomatoes and you have amatriciana. Take away the guanciale and it becomes cacio e pepe!

Cacio e Pepe

Ingredients

400 g /14 oz lombrichelli or tonnarelli, also made with spaghetti alla chitarra, bucatini or thick spaghetti

200 g (7oz) Pecorino Romano cheese freshly grated

Freshly ground black pepper corns about 4 teaspoons Don’t grind too fine.

Instructions

Dry fry the roughly ground pepper corns in a small frying pan until they start to release their aroma.
Cook the pasta al dente in a bit less water than usually according to the instructions on the packet. Take a ladleful of the pasta cooking water and add to the pepper corns. Then keep aside another cupful of the cooking water, drain the pasta and add it to the pan with the peppercorns. Mix the pasta with the pepper.
Add the grated pecorino continue mixing very well until the cheese starts to become creamy.
If too dry add a little more of the cooking water. If too liquid add more cheese.
Serve on heated plates, topped with more grated pecorino and another generous sprinkling of pepper.

Pasta alla Gricia

Ingredients

400 g/ 14 oz Spaghetti or rigatoni

200 g/7 oz Guanciale cut into strips, or pancetta

150 g/5 oz Pecorino Romano grated, or parmigiano reggiano

Instructions

Preheat a frying pan or iron skillet, then add the extra virgin olive oil and guanciale.
Fry the strips of guanciale in the skillet until they're crisp and golden.
Cook the pasta al dente, following the package instructions for timing. Before draining the pasta, set aside a cup of the pasta water for later use.
Stir in about a ⅓ cup of the reserved pasta water into the skillet with the guanciale, mixing until it's combined. This starchy water will combine with the rendered fat from the guanciale to form a 'sauce'.
Lower the heat on the skillet, then mix the pasta into the skillet with guanciale until it's well incorporated with the sauce.
Remove the skillet from the heat, add half of the grated Pecorino cheese and some ground black pepper. Stir well to combine.
Serve the pasta immediately, with a final sprinkling of the remaining grated Pecorino cheese on top.

Carbonara: Egg, Parmigiano, Guanciale

Ingredients

400 g/ 14 oz spaghetti or spaghettini You can also use rigatoni.

250 g/ 9 oz ounces guanciale (pork cheek), pancetta (Italian bacon), or bacon cut into small cubes.

5 egg yolks

200 g/ 7oz Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano

Instructions

Cook pasta a little less than al dente according to the instructions on the packet
Meanwhile, fry the guanciale or pancetta until browned. (I use a little olive oil with pancetta but not with guanciale as it renders quite a lot of fat)
Lightly beat egg yolks in a large bowl with the grated cheese and black pepper.

Orecchiette alla Lorenzo

I cooked this for the first time with my friend Lorenzo from Trento, It., at the Seminar for complex systems in Klosters, Ch., in 1984 . It is a recipe from Puglia, and it became popular in the US in the last few years. Orecchiette is Italian for "little ears", referring to the shape of the past .

Ingredients

400 g / 1 lb Orecchiette (best made by hand, see below, or bought as fresh pasta)
1-2 bunches of Broccolini (shown here), Baby Broccoli, or (best) Rapini
1 onion, peeled and cut into coarse stripes
1 red, orange or yellow pepper, cut into thin stripes
2-4 Hot Italian pork sausages (salsiccia), optional
2-3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 pepperoncino, finely chopped, or hot pepper flakes
3/4 cup dry white wine or vegetable or chicken broth
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Shaved or grated Parmigiano or Pecorino to serve

Preparation

Bring a large pot of water to boil, and add 2 tbsp. of salt.
In the meantime, wash and clean the vegetables, cut the thicker stems into ¾ inch pieces, and separate from the flowery parts.
I like salsiccia (italian sausage), so I usually add it. There are different ways, all good. Since I like the taste of the cooked Salsicca better than when fried raw, I add the Salsiccia to the boiling water and let cook for 10 min. In case you use a frozen Salsiccia (I often do), cook for 15 minutes. Take the Salsiccia out , rinse under cold water, remove the skin and cut into ¼ inch slices. If you use a raw Salsiccia, you also can peel it and cut it into slices, or just use the crumbled meat itself .
If you use raw salsiccia, add olive oil to a large pan or cast-iron pan, add the sausage slices or minced meat and fry for 10-15 minutes over medium heat until crispy. Transfer the salsiccia with a slotted spoon into a bowl and discard the oil.
In the meantime, blanch the vegetables in the boiling water, first the thicker stem parts for 3 minutes, then add the leaves and flower, let cook for about 5-8 minutes until bright green and not wilted. Remove the vegetables and keep them in a bowl.
Bring the water back to a boil and cook the pasta, about 1-2 minutes less that what the package says, in the green vegetable water. They will be finish cooking in the sausage-rapini sauce.
Add 2 tbsp olive oil to the pan and heat at medium heat. Add the onions, let saute for 3 minutes, then add the peppers, garlic, and pepperoncini and cook, stirring constantly, until softened. Add the salsiccia and stir.
Deglaze with the wine or broth a few minutes before the pasta are done.
Once the pasta are done, return the vegetables to the pasta water and transfer pasta and vegetables to the pan with a skimmer. Add some Pasta water and let cook for another 2-5 minutes until you have a creamy layer of sauce on the pan floor.
Serve with shaved or grated Parmigiano or Pecorino

The Accademia Italiana Della Cuchina recently updated the recipe for Ragu Bolognese, it now allows up to 20 % of pork in the minced meat, pancetta, onions, carrots, celery, tomatoes and tomato paste, red or white wine, and the addition of chicken liver, Salsiccia, cooked peas, mushrooms, and only nutmeg, pepper and salt as spices. (https://www.accademiaitalianadellacucina.it/it/ricette/ricetta/rag%C3%B9-classico-bolognese ). I always like to be more creative, using what's in the fridge. Items not allowed are marked with a *

Orecchiette con le Cime di Rapa

https://www.seriouseats.com/orecchiette-con-le-cime-di-rapa

Very similar to Orecchiette alla Lorenzo, using anchovies instead ot salsiccia.

Ingredients

For the Breadcrumbs:

- Breadcrumbs
- 1 garlic clove (5g), minced
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Pasta:

- 1/4 cup (60ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 4 anchovy fillets (5g)
- 3 garlic cloves (15g), minced
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 12 ounces (340g) dried orecchiette
- 1 pound (450g) broccoli rabe (rapini), leaves and florets picked from stalks, stalks discarded

Directions

- For the Breadcrumbs: Combine breadcrumbs, garlic, and 2 tablespoons (30ml) oil in a large skillet, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring and tossing occasionally, until crisp and golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer toasted breadcrumbs to reserved rimmed baking sheet, spread into an even layer, and set aside to cool to room temperature. Wipe out skillet.
- For the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, combine 1/4 cup (60ml) oil, anchovies, and garlic in now-empty skillet. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring and breaking up anchovies occasionally with a wooden spoon, until anchovies have dissolved and garlic has softened and is just beginning to turn lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Add red pepper flakes and continue to cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove skillet from heat.
- Add broccoli rabe to boiling water and cook, stirring frequently to keep submerged, until floret stems are barely tender and leaves have softened, about 1 minute. Using a spider skimmer, fine-mesh strainer, or large slotted spoon, drain rabe while keeping boiling water in the pot; transfer rabe to a plate and set aside.

- Add orecchiette to boiling water and cook, stirring frequently for first 30 seconds to prevent pasta from sticking. Once pasta has cooked for 5 minutes, transfer 1 cup (240ml) of pasta cooking water to skillet; continue cooking pasta. Return skillet to high heat and bring to a boil, swirling pan and stirring constantly until cooking water emulsifies with olive oil-anchovy mixture, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low while pasta finishes cooking to prevent liquid from over-reducing.
- Meanwhile, continue cooking pasta until it is softened on the exterior, but well shy of al dente and still uncooked in the center (about 3 minutes less than the package directions). Using a spider skimmer, transfer pasta to skillet along with reserved broccoli rabe. Alternatively, drain pasta using a colander or fine-mesh strainer, making sure to reserve at least 2 cups (475ml) pasta cooking water.
- Increase heat to high and cook, stirring and tossing rapidly, until pasta is al dente and sauce is thickened and coats noodles, 2 to 3 minutes, adding more pasta cooking water in 1/4 cup (60ml) increments as needed. At this point, the sauce should just pool around the edges of the pan; it will continue to tighten up in the time it takes to plate and serve, so make sure it's a little looser than the ideal serving consistency. Season with salt to taste.
- Remove from heat, divide pasta between individual serving bowls, drizzle generously with olive oil, sprinkle with breadcrumbs, and serve right away.

Orecchiette con Cima di Rapa (II)

Close to the one before, a little simpler

Ingredients

400 g / 1 lb Orecchiette (best made by hand, see below, or or bought as fresh pasta)

1 kg / 2 lb Rapini (Cima di Rapa)

2-3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 pepperoncino, finely chopped

4 Anchovies

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Instructions
Blanche the Rapini as before
Cook the pasta in the same pot.
In a pan, heat up the olive oil and melt the anchovis.
Add garlic and pepperoncini, mix the pasta and the Rapini, and serve.

Homemade Orecchiette

From 400 g (1 3/4 cups) fine Semolino flour, 200 ml (3/4 cup) warm water, and a teaspoon of salt make a smooth dough bu kneading it for about 5 minutes.

Let it rest in the covered bowl for 20-30 minutes.

Divide it into 6-8 pieces and roll them into 1 cm thick (pinky finger) rolls. Cut these into 1 cm wide pieces.

Press a knife down the far edge of a piece and drag it at a 45 degree angle towards you, so it curls over the knife. Gently pull the dough off the knife and push your thumb inside, and turn it inside out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-FhKlzPvdI

Vicki Bennison ,Pasta Grannies: The Official Cookbook: The Secrets of Italy's Best Home Cooks, 2019

Ingredients

1/2 lb pasta, I use rigatoni, which is a short tube pasta with ridges that hold the creamy sauce well.

1 medium-large zucchini, cut into thin ribbons with a Y shaped vegetable peeler or a mandoline

1/2 cup cream

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp each, salt and fresh cracked black pepper

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

several leaves of fresh basil, cut in ribbons

Garnish

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

more grated Parmesan

Instructions

Boil the pasta in plenty of well salted water until al dente.
Put the cream, lemon juice and garlic in a Dutch oven or skillet large enough to hold the pasta and heat until it simmers. Add salt and black pepper to taste. Turn the heat way down and keep warm.
When the pasta is done scoop it out and add to the pan with the cream sauce. Add the zucchini ribbons to the boiling pasta water and stir to separate the zucchini. Cook for a few seconds, just until the zucchini starts to become supple. Scoop it out and add to the pan as well.
Toss everything with the grated cheese and basil, and add a splash of pasta water if it seems too dry.
Serve immediately topped with toasted pine nuts and more cheese.

Zucchini and Lemon Pasta

These very refreshing pasta are from Sue Morgan’s site, https://theviewfromgreatisland.com/zucchini-and-lemon-pasta/

Ingredients

1/2 lb pasta, I use rigatoni, which is a short tube pasta with ridges that hold the creamy sauce well.

1 medium-large zucchini, cut into thin ribbons with a Y shaped vegetable peeler or a mandoline

1/2 cup cream

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp each, salt and fresh cracked black pepper

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

several leaves of fresh basil, cut in ribbons

Garnish

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

more grated Parmesan

Instructions

Boil the pasta in plenty of well salted water until al dente.
Put the cream, lemon juice and garlic in a Dutch oven or skillet large enough to hold the pasta and heat until it simmers. Add salt and black pepper to taste. Turn the heat way down and keep warm.
When the pasta is done scoop it out and add to the pan with the cream sauce. Add the zucchini ribbons to the boiling pasta water and stir to separate the zucchini. Cook for a few seconds, just until the zucchini starts to become supple. Scoop it out and add to the pan as well.
Toss everything with the grated cheese and basil, and add a splash of pasta water if it seems too dry.
Serve immediately topped with toasted pine nuts and more cheese.

Creamy pasta gorgonzola with mushrooms

Simone https://insimoneskitchen.com/pasta-gorgonzola-recipe/#recipe

Ingredients

200 g / ½ lb pasta

2 tbsp olive oil

3 tbsp butter

25 g / 3 tbsp flour

200 g / ½ lb mushrooms sliced

100 g / 4 oz Gorgonzola + extra for topping

150 ml / 2/3 cup whipping cream

100 ml / ½ cup whole milk

50 g / 2oz walnuts roughly chopped

Salt and pepper

fresh parsley to serve

Instructions

Place a pot of large salted water on the stove and bring to the boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions al dente. Drain the pasta and save some of the cooking water for later use. Add some olive oil to the pasta to prevent sticking.
Place a large skillet on medium heat and add some olive oil and a 1 tbsp butter. Bake the mushrooms until golden and cooked through. Put aside
In the same skillet, melt the other 2 tbsp of butter. Add the flour and fry for a while, but do not let it brown.
Add the cream and milk and bring to the boil until it begins to thicken.
Add the Gorgonzola in pieces and let it melt in the sauce.
Add mushrooms and toss it together. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Add the cooked pasta and a bit of the cooking water until you have a rich creamy sauce.
Serve the pasta with chopped parsley and chopped walnuts.

Fresh Tuna Pasta all'eoliana

Recipe from the Aeolian Islands

Jacqui: https://www.the-pasta-project.com/fresh-tuna-pasta-alleoliana-recipe/

Ingredients

400 g tagliatelle (best when homemade) or spaghetti

250 g fresh Bluefin tuna or other steak fish

15 piccadilly tomatoes or other sauce tomatoes

15 green or black pitted olives

1 handful capers salted or in oil

1 handful fresh parsley

2 garlic cloves

½ pepperoncino (fresh red chili pepper or flakes)

3-4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

salt for pasta and to taste

black pepper to taste

Instructions

Wash the capers well if they have been preserved in salt. Peel and chop the garlic finely. Cut the olives into small slices. Wash the tomatoes and cut them in half. Remove the seeds from the pepperoncino and chop into small pieces.
Heat the olive oil over a medium heat in a deep-frying pan or skillet. Add the garlic and the tomatoes. When they start to soften, add the capers, the olives and the finely chopped chili pepper.
Season with a little salt (not too much because the olives and capers are already salty) and cook for 10 minutes to reduce the sauce but without losing the fresh flavor of the ingredients.
Cut the tuna into chunks and chop the parsley. Turn up the heat and add the tuna and parsley to the sauce and cook for another 2 minutes. The tuna must remain a bit pink.
Finish the dish
Cook the pasta al dente according to the instructions on the packet., Save a little of the pasta cooking water. Then drain the pasta and put it in the pan with the sauce. Mix everything together well, adding a little pasta cooking water if the sauce seems dry. Serve immediately sprinkled with a little chopped parsley.

Pasticios: Timpanos, Timballos and Pasta al Forno

Lasagna

This recipe I learned around 1976 from an Italian co-worker at the mail distribution center in the Augsburg Main Train Station. I’ve never heard of mozzarella before. It was famous with my friends through all my student time in Munich.

Ingredients

Ragu Bolognese:

1 lb ground beef with up to 20 % pork,

pancetta,

carrot,

celery,

onion,

crushed tomatoes,

wine.

Pasta

300 g (00) wheat flour (weight is important)

3 eggs

Sauce Bechamel

60 g (2 o) butter

60 g (1/2 cup) flour

1 l milk

Assembly

fresh mozzarella, cut and ripped into pieces or shredded

Grated Parmigiano for the top.

Preparation

Prepare the ragout as described earlier well ahead, using some of the wine for your own pleasure. Let it cook at low heat for 2 or more hours.
With homemade pasta sheets it shouldn’t be very liquid, for dried pre-cooked past keep it more liquid.
The pasta is made according to the Pasta Grannies: Vicky Bennison, Pasta Grannies, The secrets of Italian’s best home cooks, but is the same everywhere, 100 g flour per egg.
Mix and knead the dough on the table. Once its smooth (you might have to use a very tiny bit of water), wrap it in plastic wrap and let it sit in the refrigerator for a while.
You can use a pin and roll the dough, ideally you have a pasta machine. Run it 2-3 time through the largest setting, folding it over every time, and the reduce the settings until you get to the 2nd smallest setting. I cut the dough in convenient squares fitting the baking dish and put it on a table that is covered with semolina flour.
Heat a large pot of water with salt and keep a pot of cold water next to it. Now cook each piece (4 at a time) for 3 minutes, move it to the cold water, and then dry it with a kitchen towel.
You can skip all that and get precooked lasagna sheets but what’s the fun (and taste) of that ?
Heat the butter in a saucepan on medium until it’s molten entirely, add the flour and stir with a whisk until its smooth with no clumps. Slowly stir in a cup of the milk, continue stirring until you feel it getting thickened. Grate in some nutmeg, add another cup of milk, and continue until all 4 cups are stirred in and the sauce feels thick. Take off the heat.

In a casserole, spread some olive oil on the bottom and some of the ragu. Then add a layer of the pasta, ragu, sauce bechamel, and mozzarella. Do this , in this order, for 5-6 layers. On the last layer, do not use the mozzarella, spread the grated Parmigiano cheese on top instead.

Bake it in the oven, preheated to 180oC or 350oF , for about 40 minutes.

Timballo alla Terramano

Wine Pairing: F. Stephan Millier, 2021 Black Label Old Vine Zinfandel, Lodi

Timballo alla Terramano was my favorite food at an Italian place in a strip mall in Laurel, MD, called Pasta Plus (don’t let the name deceive you). A neighbor in the marina, Salvatore from NYC, recommended Pasta Plus, claiming it was the best Italian food on the east coast, and we agree. Unfortunately, they closed over Covid, but you can still watch them making Timballo (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqO5riRIpUI&t=111s). It took me many views of the video and quite some research to copy the recipe.

There are many variations of pasta pies such as Timballo. The name comes from the Italian word for drum, since some were made in a round shape that looked like a kettle drum. This uses crepes instead of pasta.

The ingredients I used were the crepes (scrippelle), a very basic beef ragu (just fried ground beef), a tomato sauce, an egg wash (bagnata), mozzarella, and grated parmigiano or pecorino.

Scripelle (Crepes)

According to Nonna Igea: 1 egg, 1 egg-shell of water, 1 tbsp flour, salt.

For about 12 scipelle:

6 eggs
6 Tbs / 3/8 cup / 50 g flour
1.5 cups / 373 ml water
A pinch of salt

These crepes , scripelle, are different from french crepes, as they are more egg-crepes, with little flour. The recipe here is from Nonna Igea (https://www.vincenzosplate.com/how-to-make-homemade-crepes/), but most recipes are very close, with more liquid and/or a little more flour. Nonna Igea uses an empty eggshell to measure the water, since most eggs have about 1/4 cup of volume, I used that as a reference. Some scripelle recipes, for scripelle m'busse in broth, use less egg, more flour, and milk, more like french crepes.

Beat the eggs for about 5 minutes, and then add salt as well as the flour, slowly while beating to make it smooth without clumps. Then slowly add the water, stop if the batter seems to liquid.

Heat a nonstick skillet on medium heat. Poor some olive oil in a small plate and use a kitchen towel to wipe the skillet with the olive oil and spoon about 1/4 cup of batter into the center of the pan as you swirl the pan in a circular motion to make a very thin pancake. When the batter starts to bubble, use a thin spatula or knife to lift it up at the edges and then turn it over with your fingers. The cook a little more until you see it becoming lightly browned.

Tomato sauce:

1 onion
1 large can of crunched tomatoes
olive oil

The ‘ragu’:

1lb / 500 g of ground beef, olive oil:

Bagnata:

2 eggs, 4 tbsp of milk

Assembly

8 oz/250 Mozzarella Cheese (fresh), 1 cup Grated Parmigiano

In a saucepan, sauté the minced onion in abundant olive oil until soft and translucent.
Add the tomatoes and a pinch of salt.
Simmer for about 15 – 30 minutes

In a large pan, heat 3- 4 tbsp of olive oil
Fry the ground beef, making sure there are no larger clumps, until it's crispy.
Add some pepper and salt

In a small bowl, whisk the egg and milk together until smooth

Directions

I (as well as the chefs at Pasta Plus) cut the Mozzarella cheese into small (1/4”/5 mm) cubes (if you don’t use grated mozzarella) and mix it thoroughly with the cold ground meat – this. way you get a homogeneous distribution of cheese.

Start by coating a casserole (7.5"x10" or 8.5 x12") with butter, and spread some of the tomato sauce on the bottom.
Then lay the scrippelle to cover the bottom, and have them hang over the sides , you will use them at the end to “close” the package.
Spread some of the mozzarella/beef mixture, tomato sauce, and a few tablespoons of the bagnata
Cover with scrippelle (just the sauce) and repeat until your ingredients are used up, at least 5 layers
Leave some of the tomato sauce for the top and to serve.
Before you cover the last layer, flip the sides from the start back in, cover the top, and cover with tomato sauce. Spread some grated Parmigiano on top.
Bake the timballo at (180C/350F) for about 45 minutes to an hour, until golden brown on top. Let it rest for about 15-20 minutes before serving. Serve with the rest of the tomato sauce.

Timpano alla Big Night

Timpano is the star of the 1996 movie Big Night about 2 Italian brothers and their restaurant on the New Jersey Shore in the 1950s. Might want to play some Louis Prima or Tony Bennet when cooking or eating.

There are many variations of an Italian Pasta Pie. Some are called Timpano or Timballo (round pie, Italian for kettledrum). They are all Pasticios, (which includes pasta al forno like e.g. Lasagna).

This recipe is based on a family recipe from the film's co-writer/co-director and star, Stanley Tucci., included in his cook book “The Tucci Cookbook” (https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/12799-timpano-alla-big-night ).

A similar but vegetarian recipe is in Food and Wine (https://www.foodandwine.com/timpano-11908802 ), which includes eggplant as an ingredient. .

I haven't been able to combine all the info yet, still want to cook it this year

Dough Ingredients

4 cups all-purpose flour, more for dusting

4large eggs, lightly beaten

1teaspoon kosher salt

3tablespoons olive oil

Butter

Preparation:

Place flour, eggs, salt and olive oil in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook
Add 3 tablespoons water and probably more. until mixture comes together and forms a ball.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead to make sure it is well mixed, about 10 minutes.
Set aside to rest for 5 minutes ((The dough may be made in advance and refrigerated overnight; return to room temperature before rolling out.))

Tomato Sauce

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 onions, diced

6 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1/4 cup tomato paste

2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled San Marzano plum tomatoes

2 (6-inch) basil sprigs

Tucci uses a very elaborate Neapolitan Ragu, I’ll go with the Food and Wine version and add 2 diced onions

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium.
Add onions and cook until translucent
Add garlic and cook, stirring often, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.
Add tomato paste and cook, stirring often, until deeper in color, about 2 minutes.
Lightly crush tomatoes by hand and add crushed tomatoes and any juices to the saucepan. Stir in 2 cups water, salt, pepper, and basil; bring to a boil over medium, stirring occasionally.
Reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a simmer; cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens and flavors meld, 30 to 45 minutes.
Remove from heat; remove and discard basil sprigs. Cover sauce to keep warm.

Polpetti

10 1-inch-thick slices of dry Italian bread

1 pound ground beef chuck

2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped,

1large egg

5 tablespoons finely grated pecorino Romano

Olive oil

Place 6 slices dried bread in a bowl and cover with warm water. Set aside until bread softens, about 5 minutes.
In another bowl, combine meat, parsley, garlic, egg, cheese and salt and pepper to taste, using your hands to mix the ingredients.
Remove and discard crust from each slice of soaked bread. Squeeze water out of bread and, breaking it into small pieces, add it to meat.
Work bread into meat until they are equally combined and mixture holds together like a soft dough. Moisten remaining slices of dried bread and add as needed.
Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large frying pan set over medium- to medium-low heat.
Scoop out a ½ teaspoon of meat mixture. Roll between the palms of your hands to form a ball. Cook meatballs until well browned on all sides, about 4 minutes. (They should be small and slightly undercooked)

Assembly

4 cups polpetti

About 7 cups tomato sauce

2 pounds ziti, cooked very al dente

4 cups ¼-inch by ½-inch Genoa salami pieces, cut ¼-inch thick

4 cups sharp provolone cheese chunks, about ¼ by ½ inch

12 hard-cooked eggs, shelled and quartered lengthwise, each quarter cut in half

1cup finely grated pecorino Romano

6 large eggs, beaten

Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Flatten dough on a lightly floured work surface until it is about 1/16-inch thick and is the desired diameter. (The diameter for the dough round, add the diameter of the bottom of a heavy 6-quart baking pan, the diameter of the top of the pan and twice the height of the pan.)
Grease the baking pan generously with butter and olive oil. Fold dough in half and then in half again, to form a triangle, and place in pan.
Open dough and arrange it in the pan, gently pressing it against the bottom and the sides, draping extra dough over the sides. Set aside.
Have salami, provolone, hard-cooked eggs, meatballs and ragù sauce at room temperature.
Toss pasta with olive oil and allow to cool slightly before tossing with 2 cups sauce.
Distribute 4 generous cups of pasta on bottom of timpano.
Top with 1 cup salami, 1 cup provolone, 3 eggs, 1 cup meatballs and ⅓ cup Romano cheese.
Pour 2 cups sauce over ingredients.

Repeat process to create additional layers until filling comes within 1 inch of the top of the pan, ending with 2 cups sauce.
Pour beaten eggs over the filling.
Fold pasta dough over filling to seal completely. Trim away and discard any double layers of dough. Make sure timpano is tightly sealed.
(If you notice any small openings cut a piece of trimmed dough to fit over opening, use a small amount of water to moisten it)
The Wine and Food version has a slightly different suggestion for sealing the dough)
Bake until lightly browned, about 1 hour.
Cover with aluminum foil and continue baking until the timpano is cooked through and the dough is golden brown (and reaches an internal temperature of 120 degrees), about 30 minutes.
Remove from oven and allow to rest for 30 or more minutes to allow timpano to cool and contract before attempting to remove from pan.
The baked timpano should not adhere to the pan. To test, gently shake pan to the left and then to the right. It should slightly spin in the pan. If any part is still attached, carefully detach with a knife.
To remove timpano from pan, place a baking sheet or thin cutting board that covers the entire diameter on the pan on top of the timpano.
Grasp the baking sheet or cutting board and the rim of the pan firmly and invert timpano. Remove pan and allow timpano to cool for 30 minutes.
Using a long, sharp knife, cut a circle about 3 inches in diameter in the center of the timpano, making sure to cut all the way through to the bottom. Then slice timpano as you would a pie into individual portions, leaving the center circle as a support for the remaining pieces. The cut pieces should hold together, revealing built-up layers of great stuff.

Vegetarian Timpano

(https://www.foodandwine.com/timpano-11908802 )

Broiled Eggplant

2 large (1 pound each) eggplants, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick rounds (about 20 slices)

4 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Assembly

Dough from above

7 cups toato sauce (see above)

2 pounds uncooked ziti

1 (5-ounce) package baby spinach

2 tablespoons (1 ounce) unsalted butter, plus more for greasing pan

1 pound pre-grated pecorino Romano cheese (about 4 cups), plus more for serving

6 hard-cooked large eggs, peeled and halved lengthwise

1 pound sliced provolone cheese (24 slices)

1 large garlic clove, grated on a Microplane grater (about 1/2 teaspoon)

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Prepare the dough as above, and while dough is chilling, prepare the tomato sauce

While Tomato Sauce is simmering, prepare the Broiled Eggplant

Preheat oven to broil with rack about 6 inches from heat source.
Sprinkle both sides of eggplant rounds evenly with 4 teaspoons of the salt, and place in an even layer on 2 large, rimmed baking sheets fitted with wire racks.
Let eggplant rounds stand at room temperature until liquid is released, about 30 minutes.
Pat eggplant rounds dry with paper towels. Brush both sides of eggplant rounds evenly with olive oil, and sprinkle evenly with black pepper and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Broil in preheated oven, 1 baking sheet at a time, until lightly golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes per side.
Remove from oven, and let cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F, and position oven rack in lower third of oven.

Assembly

Cook pasta in a large pot of generously salted water o until very al dente. During last 2 minutes of cooking, stir in spinach.
Drain pasta mixture and transfer to a large bowl; stir in 1 1/2 cups of the tomato sauce. Set aside until ready to use.
Generously grease a 5 1/2-quart Dutch oven with butter and set aside.
On a clean work surface, roll out larger dough disk to an 18-inch round, about 1/16-inch thick.
Press into bottom and up sides of prepared Dutch oven, leaving 1/2-inch excess hanging over all sides; set aside.
Roll out smaller dough disk to a 12-inch round, about 1/16-inch thick; transfer to a large baking sheet and refrigerate, uncovered, until ready to use.
Spoon about 4 cups of the pasta mixture into bottom of crust and smooth the top flat.
Sprinkle about 1 1/3 cups of the pecorino Romano on top.
Arrange one-third of the broiled eggplant rounds (6 to 8 slices) and 4 of the egg halves in an even layer over pecorino Romano;
Spoon 1 cup of the tomato sauce over eggplant and egg layer.
Place one-third (8 slices) of the provolone in an even layer over tomato sauce.
Repeat layers 2 times
Top with remaining 4 cups pasta mixture, gently pressing down on pasta to even out and remove any air pockets. Cover filling with chilled rolled dough and trim crust to leave a 1/4-inch overhang on all sides. Press edges together to seal; roll crust edges under and crimp as desired.
Cut 5 (2-inch) slits in center of top crust. Bake at 350°F until top is a light golden brown, about 1 hour. Let cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes.
While timpano cools, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-low. Add garlic and parsley; cook, stirring often, until aromatic and parsley is bright green, about 1 minute. Remove from heat; cover and keep warm.
Run a butter knife or spatula around edge of Dutch oven. Using a large cutting board, invert timpano and remove Dutch oven. Brush all over with garlic butter. Slice and serve immediately with remaining 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce and additional pecorino Romano.

German/Austrian Nudeln (Pasta)

Krautfleckerl (Cabbage Pasta)

This is one of our favorites, very simple, homemade pasta

Ingredients:

400 g all-purpose flour, 4 eggs salt to make pasta or 400 g Lasagne sheets broken in 1-2 cm squarely bits

1 white cabbage head

100 g. (3.5oz) pancetta or bacon

2 Onions, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2-4 tbsp caraway seeds

Preparation:

Make past by mixing flour, eggs and some salt, wrap it in plastic foil and let it rest 30 min, use a pasta maker to make it into sheets, cut in 1-2 cm squarely shapes
Slice and dice the cabbage into bite-size squares and put into a large bowl.
Sprinkle with salt and massage cabbage to break it down and release the water, let rest for 15 minutes then drain.
Heat butter and olive oil in pot or large deep pan.
Add onion and sauté until light brown.
Add pancetta and sauté for 1-2 minutes.
Add garlic and caraway seeds, stir for about 30 seconds
Add cabbage and mix with onions and seasoning.
Cover and cook for about 1 hour mixing every 10-15 minutes.
In the mean, cook the pasta, 3 min if home made, otherwise follow the directions
Fold in cooked pasta and warm through.
Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Serve hot with a dollop of quark, ricotta, or sour cream and fresh herbs such as parsley, thyme, or chives.

Asian Noodle Dishes

Pad Thai

This is from Martin Yan, Everybody’s working, from a 1990s TV show “Yan can cook (so can you)”. It introduced me into Asian cooking.

Ingredients

½ pound dried flat rice noodles, ¼ inch wide

Sauce

¼ cup chicken broth

3 tbsp fish sauce

2 tbsp catsup

2 tbsp sugar

1 tsp crushed red pepper

3 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp minced garlic

¼ pound lean ground pork

¼ pound medium raw shrimp, shelled, deveined, cut in half lengthwise

1 egg, lightly beaten

Garnishes

2 limes, cut into wedges

1 cup bean sprouts

1 green onion

2 tbsp coarsely chopped peanuts

2 tbsp chopped cilantro

Instructions

Soak the noodles in warm water to cover for 15 minutes or until soft, drain and set aside.
Combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
Place a wok or wide frying pan over high heat until hot.
Add the oil, swirling to coat the sides.
Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 10 s.
Add the pork and stir-fry for 2 minutes.
Add the shrimp and stir-fry for 1 minute.
Add the noodles, toss to combine them with the sauce, and pour in the egg.
Toss continuously until the egg is cooked, about 1 minute.
Place the noodle mixture on a serving platter, arrange the lime wedges and bean sprouts around the outside, and sprinkle the green onion, nuts, and cilantro on top.

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