Lotsa Pasta

Delicious dishes to warm your soul!

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Spaghetti Carbonara

This classic Italian dish is perfect for a weekday supper or a dinner party.

  • Ingredients

    500 g spaghetti
    1 tbsp. salt
    500 g pancetta, diced
    4 egg yolks
    2 whole eggs
    1½ cups grated pecorino romano
    cheese, divided
    ½ tsp. freshly ground pepper

  • Directions

    Bring a large pot of water to a boil with salt. Cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1½ cups of water before draining the pasta.
    While the pasta cooks, fry pancetta over medium heat in a pan until crisp, about 7 to 10 minutes. Drain fat, reserving 2 tbsp. Whisk together egg yolks, eggs, and 1 cup of cheese in a large mixing bowl.
    Toss pasta with pancetta and reserved grease. Add egg mixture, along with ½ cup pasta water and toss together with pasta for 2 minutes. Add more of the reserved water to thin out your sauces, if needed. Serve with remaining cheese and freshly ground pepper.

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Pasta Ponza

Filling and warm, this recipe makes a big meal to share with friends.

  • Ingredients

    2 cups red cherry tomatoes
    2 cups yellow cherry tomatoes
    ¼ cup capers, drained and rinsed
    1 tbsp. olive oil, plus more for drizzling
    ½ tsp. salt
    ¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper
    ½ cup italian breadcrumbs
    500 g penne or ziti
    1¼ cups pecorino romano cheese, grated
    ¼ cup chopped flat leaf parsley

  • Directions

    Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease an 8 x 8 glass baking dish. In a bowl, toss tomatoes, capers, olive oil, salt and pepper. Place in baking dish. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for five minutes.

    Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions. Reserve ½ cup pasta water and drain. Place pasta in serving bowl and top with baked tomato mixture. Add cheese and toss well. Thin with pasta water as needed. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately.

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Rosemary Focaccia

Every pasta dish needs a side of warm bread and this one fits the bill.

  • Ingredients

    1¾ cups warm water
    1 packet active dry yeast
    1 tablespoon sugar
    5 cups bread flour
    1 tablespoon kosher salt (plus more for topping) 1 cup extra virgin olive oil (divided)
    2 sprigs fresh rosemary leaves

  • Directions

    In a small bowl, add water, yeast and sugar. Stir and let sit for 15 minutes until it forms bubbles.
    In another bowl, add flour, salt, ½ cup of olive oil, and yeast mixture. Mix until blended. Knead on a lightly floured surface, adding more flour gradually as needed until the dough is elastic and springs back when poked.

    Lightly coat the inside of the bowl with olive oil and place dough inside. Cover with plastic wrap. Let sit in a warm place for 1 hour.

    Pour ¼ cup olive oil onto a rimmed baking sheet and spread the dough over it to cover the sheet. Using your finger or the end of a wooden spoon, push holes into the top of the dough. Brush top with all but 1 tablespoon of the remaining ¼ cup olive oil. Cover again with plastic wrap and let sit another hour.
    Preheat oven to 425°F. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the bread starts turning a light brown on top and gets crisp on the bottom. When done, lightly brush it with olive oil and sprinkle on the rosemary and salt. Slice and serve.

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The OG Caesar Salad

This is the only Caesar Salad recipe you need.

  • Ingredients

    Croutons
    1 cup cubed day-old crusty bread
    (we recommended sourdough)
    3 - 4 tbsp olive oil
    Pinch of salt

    Salad
    2 to 3 heads crisp, fresh romaine lettuce,
    outer leaves removed (about 1 pound of lettuce)
    1 tbsp red wine vinegar
    ½ cup mild extra-virgin olive oil
    8 anchovy filets, chopped
    2 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
    ½ tsp salt, or to taste
    2 cold, fresh eggs
    Freshly-ground black pepper
    1½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese,
    divided
    3 tbsp fresh lemon juice

  • Directions

    Croutons
    Preheat the oven to 350°F. Toss with the olive oil and salt, and toast on a sheet pan for 8 to 10 minutes, until golden brown. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

    Dressing
    In a mixing bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil, anchovies, salt, and garlic. Add eggs, ½ cup cheese, and 1 tsp of pepper. Add lemon juice and whisk until smooth.

    Salad
    Remove any bruised leaves and trim outer leaves, removing any tough ends. Remove stumps and separate leaves. Rinse and dry the whole leaves - pat dry and lay or loosely roll them out on clean dish towels, ensuring they are totally dry. Refrigerate until ready to be used.
    In a large salad bowl, tear lettuce into chunks. Add half the dressing, toss, and add more dressing until leaves are nicely covered. You may not need all of the dressing. Toss with remaining cheese, re-serving a few tablespoons for garnish. Add the croutons and toss again. If any more dressing is needed, add and toss.
    Garnish with a sprinkle of grated cheese and black pepper. Serve immediately.