Proper Pesto

There are lots of recipes people claim taste better if made by hand, but there�s no easier case to prove than pesto. That the name means, �to crush,� should tell you something, and while this method does take considerably more physical effort, when you taste this you�ll forget every pestle-pounding minute.

The intensity of the flavors is beyond compare, and as if by some kind of magic, this gorgeous spread develops an addictive spiciness. You can taste each ingredient, and yet when smashed together, new and wonderful flavors are released. If you�re in the market, I recommend the marble mortar seen herein, as long as the inside has some texture to it. If it seems smooth and glassy, keep looking.

Of course, you can play around with the ratios of the five ingredients, and easily adjust this to your tastes, but no matter how they�re combined, taking the time to crush them by hand is well worth the effort. I hope you give this fresh basil pesto a try soon. Enjoy!

4 cloves garlic peeled

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 large bunch basil (about 4-5 ounces)

3 tablespoons pine nuts

2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated on microplace (about 1 1/2 cups unpacked)

1/2 cup mild extra virgin olive oil

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Calamari Marinara � Would You Like That In 45 Seconds or 45 Minutes?

Calamari is affordable, delicious, and sustainable, yet many cooks shy away from it, since it has a reputation for being tricky to work with. I should�ve said �unfair reputation,� because while it�s true calamari can end up with a rubbery texture if overcooked, there�s a very simple way to avoid this� by really overcooking it.

When it comes to calamari, it needs to be cooked in either 45 seconds, or 45 minutes, and nothing in between. If you sear it in a pan, or poach it in a sauce for a very brief time, you should get something nice and tender. However, after just a few extra minutes, the squid gets chewy.

Unfortunately, this is how most calamari is served, since it is easy to overcook, even for a professional. But, if we gently simmer for about 45-minutes total, something amazing happens. The calamari loses that rubbery texture, and becomes tender once again.

I also think it takes on more a meaty flavor, which I love, especially when using this to sauce pasta. So, if you�ve wanted to try cooking calamari, but were afraid of over-cooking it, I really hope you give this easy sauce a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 portions:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1  yellow onion, sliced thin

4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 anchovy fillet

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 Serrano chili pepper sliced thin

1/2 teaspoons salt, plus more if needed

1/2 cup drinkable white wine

1 cup clam juice

6 cups crushed or pur�ed Italian plum tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

2 pounds frozen calamari tubes and tentacles, thawed, sliced into half-inch pieces

1/4 cup freshly chopped Italian parsley

freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, optional

1 pound dry pasta

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Roman-Style Gnocchi � No Potatoes Were Harmed During the Making of This Video

Gnocchi alla Romana are as delicious, as they are virtually unknown. I feel like I�ve eaten a fair amount of Italian food, and I�ve been to Rome, but it wasn�t until late in life that I discovered these wonderful, baked semolina dumplings.

Above and beyond their exquisite texture, and great taste, I love their versatility. They�re a world-class side dish as is, but can be paired with your favorite pasta sauce, and served as an appetizer, or entr�e. Rave reviews should come your way; along with lots of �But, why are these called gnocchi, again?�

For a great winter twist, you can place some sage leaves in between the gnocchi before baking them, and they�d be perfect at any holiday feast. In fact, now I�m upset I didn�t do that this time. I�m going to have to make another batch. Anyway, I really do hope you give these a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 16 Roman-Style Gnocchi:

Note: I used a 2.75-inch cutter

3 cups milk

1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

1 1/4 cup semolina

1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (only about 1.25 ounces by weight, but if you grate it on a microplane, it will easily fill a cup)

2 large egg yolks

3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

3 tablespoons melted butter for the top

more grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for the top

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Basil Ricotta Gnocchi � The Other (Better?) Gnocchi

One of these days, I�ll do a proper potato-based gnocchi video, but it�s hard for me, since I enjoy this style so much more. Sure, once in a while, with the help of perfectly cooked potatoes, and trusty ricer, you�ll nail the classic technique, and achieve beautifully light, tender dumplings; but, that�s how these come out every time. Besides, I�m pretty sure since these don�t use potato, or as much flour, we get to call these �low-carb,� which is nice. 

Anyway, the point is these are easy to pull off, and great for a dinner party, since you can shape/boil your gnocchi ahead of time, and then simply brown them up in some butter when you�re ready to serve.

I tend to keep the plating fairly basic for these, but any of your favorite pasta sauces should work. They're great as a main course, especially if you accessorize with some seasonal vegetables, but "as is," they also make for a stellar side dish, or first course. I really hope you give this basil ricotta gnocchi recipe a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 Portions Basil Ricotta Gnocchi:

12-ounce container whole milk ricotta cheese (1 1/2 cups), *drained well

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup packed fresh basil leaves, blanched in boiling water

1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste

1 1/2 ounces freshly grated Parmesan (about 1 not-packed cup)

pinch of cayenne pepper

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

 unsalted butter for optional browning

Note: Cook a test piece of dough in salted water, and check for seasoning. Add more salt if needed

*My fancy basket ricotta tends to be low-moisture, so if you�re using the much wetter supermarket brands, be sure to drain in a strainer in the fridge for a few

hours to allow the excess water to drip out.

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Rigatoni alla Genovese � Maybe the Best Meat Sauce You�ve Never Heard Of

I have no idea why this amazingly flavorful Genovese-style meat sauce isn�t way more popular than it is. It�s quite simply one of the best pasta sauces you�ll ever taste, thanks to a very slow cooking process, and massive amounts of onions.

So, I just thought of two really good reasons why this isn�t way more popular. The recipe takes you a good 10 hours to make. In case you haven�t heard, this is roughly 9.9 hours longer than your typical Millennial is willing to spend doing something.

Also, slicing six pounds of raw onions by hand is no one�s idea of a great time. And no, you can�t use a food processor, or veggie cutting gizmo you bought at 2AM. These machines will crush and bruise the onions, releasing harsh compounds that negatively alter the taste. Cut your onions by hand, with a sharp knife, or not at all.

As I suggest in the video, cut them one or two at a time, near a breezy window, while you brown the meat, and you�ll be done in no time. Once everything is prepped, the recipe couldn�t be easier. Simmer until the meat and onions melt into each other, and serve. I really hope you give this very old, virtually unknown, but very tasty meat sauce a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for enough sauce for 2 pounds of dry rigatoni (8 servings):

1 tablespoon olive oil

6 ounces pancetta or salt pork, diced

2 1/2 pounds beef chuck, seasoned with 2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 cup diced celery

1/2 cup diced carrot

1 rounded tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 bay leaf

2/3 cup white wine

4 pounds yellow onions, sliced

2 pounds red onions, sliced

water or broth as needed to adjust liquid level during simmering

salt to taste

-- To serve, simmer finished sauce with al dente pasta for a few minutes until pasta is cooked through. Finish with fresh marjoram, cayenne, and grated Parmigiano Reggiano.

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Spaghetti Al Tonno � Nothing Fishy About This �Meat� Sauce

Spaghetti al tonno is one of my all-time favorite "go to" pasta dishes, and I hope this re-make of an old video helps make it one of yours. I did a very similar spaghetti with spicy tuna sauce for About.com a long time ago, but never got around to doing an official Food Wishes version.

Having said that, there really is no �official� recipe, as this is the type of dish that gets made a little differently every time. Not different on purpose, mind you, but different since that�s what happens when you cook without written recipes, which by the way, is the recommended method. 

I love a classic meat sauce as much as the next half-Italian, but when I want something quick and easy for a weeknight meal, I reach for the tuna. By the time you bring a pot of water to a boil, choose a wine, and cook your pasta, the sauce should be done. What if all that sounds great, but you don�t like fish? Then, this is perfect.

As I say in the video, the taste and texture is really closer to a veal sauce, than one made with fish. Above and beyond the non-fishy flavor, this is also lower in fat and calories, in case you�re into that kind of thing. So, the next time you�re in the mood for a quick spaghetti with �meat� sauce, I hope you give this delicious pasta sauce a try. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 Portions Spaghetti Al Tonno:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 anchovy filet

2 tablespoons capers

3 cloves minced garlic

1/2 cup white wine (Note: if you can�t use wine, don�t. Use a splash of stock)

3 cups crushed San Marzano tomatoes

red pepper flakes, to taste

1/4 tsp dried oregano

salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste

7 ounces oil-packed tuna, drained (reserve and use oil!)

1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley

12 ounces dry spaghetti

Parmigiano-Reggiano for top

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That Other Meat Sauce

We did a classic Italian bolognese sauce not too long ago, which reminded me that I�ve actually never posted a basic, Italian-American meat sauce. This sauce goes by many names, including Sunday sauce, since that�s the day it�s traditionally made, but for me growing up, this was just called �sauce.�

This is one of those primal recipes that always follows the same procedure, yet almost never contains exactly the same ingredients. I was raised on a blend of beef, pork, and chicken, but any and all leftover proteins can, and must, be added to the pot.

Meatballs are a great choice; as are things like pigs feet, neck bones, and other similar cuts. The tougher the meat, the better it�s going to be in this sauce. Besides playing meat roulette, I�ll also switch different herbs like basil in and out, as well as include the occasional season vegetable.

You can also vary your results here with different tomato products. I went old-school and hand-crushed whole plums, but you can also use crushed or pureed tomatoes as well. The finer and smoother the tomatoes are processed, the thicker your sauce will be, so keep that in mind. Speaking of tomatoes; yes, it is much better to caramelize the tomato paste with the onions before you add the San Marzanos, but I didn't because Grandma didn't, and also, I forgot. 

As long as you cook the meat long enough, and season thoughtfully, there�s really no way this sauce isn�t going to be great. So, while you may not have grown up in an Italian-American home, with this comforting sauce simmering on the stove every Sunday, your family still can. I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 6 portions:

2 tbsp olive oil, divided

1 beef shank

2 pounds pork ribs

2 bone-in chicken thighs

1 diced onion

6 cloves garlic

3 (28-oz) cans San Marzano plum tomatoes, crushed or blended smooth
(Note - any canned tomato product will work. Try with pureed or already crushed tomatoes and save a step)

1/4 cup tomato paste

2 cups water, more as needed

2 tsp salt, or to taste

1 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

2 tbsp chopped Italian parsley

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

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Creamy Bay Scallop Spaghetti � An Almost Perfect Post-Holidays Pasta

After all those rich, complicated, and time-consuming holiday recipes, I�m always craving something light, fast, and easy; and this creamy bay scallop spaghetti is all that and more. Literally �more,� in that this is not light, but quite delicious, and in roughly the time it takes you to boil spaghetti, the sauce should be just about ready.

With some similar recipes to this, the chef will have you remove the scallops as soon as they�re seared, to be added back right at the end. Sounds smart since these little mollusks only take a few minutes to cook, but I think it�s a mistake. Yes, the scallops will be smaller and firmer using my method, but the trade-off is a much more flavorful sauce.

Sometimes cooks are so afraid to overcook and ruin something, they never extract as much flavor as possible. Sure, if you boiled these bay scallops another ten minutes or so, they�d get start getting dry and rubbery, but here they�re still plenty tender and moist enough, and I think you�ll agree the sherry sauce benefits significantly.

Regarding the sherry wine: If you can�t have or don�t want to use it, you�re on your own with replacements. While this would probably still work with none, or any number of sort-of-sweet, sort-of-acidic substations, I make mine with sherry, so I can�t tell you what will happen if you stray.

The meat�s another story. Feel free to switch out the scallops with any cubed protein, so really, if you think about it, I just shoed you like a dozen new recipes. You�re welcome! I really hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 appetizer-sized portions:
1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 pound bay scallops

2 tbsp butter

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp lemon zest

pinch red pepper flakes

1/3 cup sherry wine

1 cup heavy cream

salt and pepper to taste

juice of 1 lemon or to taste

8 oz cooked thick spaghetti

2 tbsp Italian parsley, divided

Parmigiano-Reggiano to taste

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Goat Cheese Apple Walnut Pasta � Suspect Supper Turns into Super Side Dish

It sounded so good on paper. Yes, this creamy, tangy goat cheese sauce, spiked with sweet apples and walnuts was going to make quite the memorable winter pasta dinner. The only problem was, halfway through the bowl I suffered that most dreaded of all pasta eating afflictions�palate fatigue.

For whatever reason, after three or four ounces of this perfectly fine concoction, I got tired of eating it. It wasn�t that it started to taste bad; it just became a little tedious. This is not an uncommon phenomenon, especially with a bowl of macaroni.

However, instead of declaring my goat cheese, apple, walnut pasta entr�e idea a failure, I decided to cleverly re-brand it as a tasty, seasonal side dish. The same exact recipe that fell a little flat as a main course, turned out to be a stellar side for some roast pork.

Of course, with taste being as subjective as it is, maybe you�ll have a different opinion as to this pasta�s worthiness as a headliner, but I wanted to be clear about my official recommendation. Even simply adding some slices of cooked chicken breast would have transformed the dish into something a little less �one-note.�

By the way, this isn�t something to make way ahead of time, as the walnuts react with the dairy in the sauce, and will turn your leftovers a fairly disturbing purple-blue color! If you�re not going to eat this immediately, then don�t mix in the nuts until service. I hope you give this great winter pasta�err, I mean side dish, a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 cups ditalini, or other small macaroni

1 tbsp butter

1 apple, diced

1 cup chicken broth

4 oz fresh creamy-style goat cheese

salt and pepper to taste

cayenne

1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts

2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves

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Minestrone Soup is a Once in a Lifetime Experience

I always feel a little apprehensive when I post a recipe like this minestrone soup. It�s the type of dish I never make the same way twice, and the fear is that someone will watch and assume that this is my �official� version.

You don�t need a recipe for minestrone, just like you don�t need a recipe for a great sandwich, or an epic salad. To make minestrone soup precisely same way every time, using a very specific list of ingredients and amounts, is to trample on the soul of this Italian classic.

Having said all that, what if you happen to make it so incredibly delicious one time that you want to experience the exact same shuddering soupgasm in the future? That seems like a perfectly sound reason for why you should write down the recipe�except cooking food doesn�t work that way.

Your perception of how a recipe tastes involves so many factors above and far beyond the list of ingredients. Remember that time you made that super awesome whatever, and it was so perfect, and then you made it again, exactly the same way, but somehow it just didn�t taste as great? This is why.

So, I hope you give this amazing minestrone recipe a try soon�but only once. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
3 oz pancetta

2 tbsp olive oil

1 diced onion

1 cup diced celery

4 minced garlic cloves

4 cups chicken broth

1 (28-oz) can plum tomatoes, crushed fine

2 cups water, plus more as needed

salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp dried Italian herb blend (mine was thyme, oregano, rosemary, basil)

red pepper flakes to taste

1 cup freshly shucked cranberry beans (aka shelling beans)
2 or 3 cups chopped cabbage

1 (15-oz) can garbanzo beans, drained

1 bunch swiss chard, chopped

2/3 cup raw ditalini pasta

extra virgin olive oil, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and fresh Italian parsley to garnish the top

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Smoked Ham and Butternut Squash Spaghetti � Short on Daylight, Long on Flavor

I never film at night, since I don�t like the look of the video when I use artificial lights. Sure, I could actually learn how to use a real lighting kit, but it�s easier for my simple brain to just film during the day.

However, once in a great while, I�ll starting making something, like this smoked ham and butternut squash spaghetti, that looks like it�s going to be so good that I don�t care about lighting quality, and film it anyway.

Other than this less-than-subtle warning about the lighting quality, there�s not a lot to say about this simple and very delicious winter pasta. It will work with literally any type of ham or smoked sausage; and as I mention in the video, bacon would also shine.

Despite the rich and decadent mascarpone, the sauce is actually pretty light when you consider much of the sauce is really just chicken broth and squash. By the way, I didn�t add it, but I think a squeeze of fresh lemon juice at the end would have been a great idea. I hope you give this hearty pasta a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

14 oz package dry spaghetti

2 tbsp olive oil

4 oz thinly slice smoked ham

3-4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

red chili flakes to taste

1 1/2 to 2 cups chicken broth, or as needed

3 cups diced butternut squash

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup mascarpone cheese

1-2 tbsp chopped Italian parsley

freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Know Your Cheese

As most of your know, I LOVE cheese, and two of the most commonly used varieties in my kitchen are fresh mozzarella, and mascarpone. In addition to this recipe, I�ve used mascarpone in several recent videos, and received numerous inquires as to which brand I used.

My usual go-to brand is Galbani, so I was thrilled when Michele and I were recently invited to an event hosted by Lactalis Foodservice. Along with Galbani, Lactalis owns many of markets� top cheese brands, such as President, Sorrento, and Precious, just to name a few.

This Chef�s Table event was held at Farina, San Francisco, and not only did we enjoy a very nice meal, but we got to talk directly to the people making the cheese. One reason I love shopping at Farmers Markets is that you get to meet the people producing the food you�re about to cook, but it�s not often you get the same experience for a product you buy at the supermarket.

Here are a few highlights from the evening.

Pardon the poor quality photo, but I just had to show this Foccacia di Recco, featuring Galbani�s Bel Paese. It�s sort of like a stuffed pizza, which uses a very basic, unleavened bread dough that�s rolled, spun, and stretched very thin, before being stuffed with the creamy cheese. It�s baked in a very hot oven, where it puffs up, and gets crispy on the outside, while the inside stays soft and cheesy. It was awesome, and something I must figure out how to make!

Chef at Farina spinning the dough for the Foccacia di Recco. By the way, the videographer seen here is my friend Vincent McConeghy, a fellow western New Yorker, and author of the novel, Gastro Detective.

This was my favorite course of the night. A golden and red beet timbale with Istara Petit Basque and shaved black truffles. What glorious combination of flavors!

I want to thank Lactalis Foodservice for hosting such a fun evening, and the chefs at Farina for taking such good care of us! For those of you that requested more info about the mascarpone cheese, you can check out the official website here. Grazie!

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Butternut Squash and Mascarpone Gnocchi � I Don�t Like Gnocchi, But I Love These!

When I tell people I don�t like gnocchi, I always have to clarify that I�m talking about the traditional, potato-dough style dumplings, and not the much easier and lighter, cheese-based versions, like this one featuring butternut squash and mascarpone cheese.

Unless created by the hands of a true master, traditional potato gnocchi are too often dense, gummy nuggets of disappointment. However, as temperamental as the classic recipe is, these cheesier, low-starch versions are really quite simple.

These are often made with drained ricotta, and you are welcome to substitute, but here we�re going with mascarpone, a very rich and luscious Italian-style cream cheese. Along with Parmigiano-Reggiano, all you need besides the cheese is some cooked squash, and just enough egg and flour to keep it all together.

Once your mixture is done, and you let it firm up overnight, you have a few options as far as final service. You can follow the spoon-boil-fry-serve method seen herein, or you can do the spoon-boil part ahead of time, and then fry in the sage butter when ready.

If you do want to make these ahead, simply fish them out of the boiling water as they�re cooked, draining well, and place on a plastic-wrapped sheet pan to cool. Once cooled to room temperature, they can be carefully wrapped up (in a single layer), and kept in the fridge for at least a day, until you�re ready to crispy up in the butter.

Either way, prepare your palate for some incredibly light, tender, and delicious gnocchi. You can use them for a first course, like I did here, or as a very special side dish to some roasted meat. I really hope you give these a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 12 appetizer-sized portions:

2 cups cooked butternut squash

1 cup mascarpone cheese, or cream cheese, goat cheese

2 large eggs

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 oz (about 1/2 cup) finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (if you�re going to use fake Parmesan cheese for this, don�t even bother)

1 packed cup all-purpose flour

1 stick unsalted butter for frying, used in batches

cayenne, salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup sliced sage leaves

View the complete recipe

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A Tuna Noodle Casserole that Will Make Even Mad Men Smile

At the risk of becoming a social outcast, I'll admit to having never watched Mad Men. I mean, it's on the television while I'm working, and Michele seems to thoroughly enjoy it, but I just haven't gotten into it. However, when I see the sets, clothes, cars, and other iconic imagery of that era, I can't help but think the characters are probably enjoying tuna noodle casserole on a regular basis.

Below the photo you'll see the written recipe for this retro-chic classic, which is going in the cookbook. I really love this recipe, and hope some of you give it a go and tell me what you think. Enjoy!


































Tuna Noodle Casserole

Makes 6 Portions

12 ounce package dry egg noodles
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 yellow onion, finely diced
3 tablespoons flour
3 1/2 cups cold milk
1 (10-oz) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 (7-oz) cans tuna, well drained, crumbled
3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed, drained
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
2 tbsp olive oil

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan, and saut� the onions over med-low heat for about 4 minutes, or until translucent. Turn up the heat to medium; add the flour, and cook, stirring, for another 2 minutes. While whisking vigorously, slowly pour in one cup of the cold milk.

When the mixture begins to simmer, add the rest of the milk, can of mushroom soup, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, and comes to a simmer. Remove from heat, and reserve.

Cook noodles in boiling salted water, one minute less than the directions call for. Drain well, and add to a large mixing bowl. Add the sauce, tuna, peas and about 2/3 of the cheese. Mix with a spatula to combine.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Pour the mixture into a lightly oiled 9 x 13 casserole dish, and top with the rest of the cheese. Mix the breadcrumbs and olive oil together in a small bowl until combined. Sprinkle evenly over the casserole. Bake for 35 minutes, or until browned and bubbly.

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Polish Grandmothers and the Pure Joy of Pierogi

I like cheese, I love pasta, and I adore mashed potatoes, so you can image the pure bliss I experience when I get to eat pierogi. They very well may be my favorite non-meat food.

Pierogi are a classic Eastern European potato and cheese stuffed dumpling traditionally made for festivals and celebrations.

There are thousands of versions using different fillings, dough, and garnishes, but this one made for an About.com assignment is fairly typical.

Above and beyond the ingredients, there are also many different ways to engineer the dish. You can make a few big ones, or lots of tiny ones (guess which is easier). You can use lots of stuffing, or just a little. You can boil and toss in melted butter, or you can fry to get a crispy crust as I did here.

My grandmother Sophie, on my father's side of the family, was from Poland, and every time we would drive to New York for a visit, the highlight of the trip was a big plate of her pierogi.

The fact that the trip was seven hours, in the back of a station wagon, in the middle of summer, with no air conditioning, with my father chain-smoking the entire trip, did nothing to diminish my joyous anticipation.

I hope you give these pierogi a try. These would make a great snowy, or rainy day project, and they can be made ahead and frozen for future use. Enjoy!

Note: This video was shot for About.com, so when you click on the video below, you'll be taken to the recipe page there.




















Filling:
1 pound russet potato
1/2 diced onion
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

Dough:
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
pinch of salt
1 cup flour, plus more as needed

Butter to fry in, sour cream and chive to garnish

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A Cool Weather Rerun: Mascarpone Butternut Squash Ravioli with Brown Butter and Sage

I saw a great looking butternut squash today at the market, but for whatever reason I didn't buy it. Later in the afternoon I was checking some files on YouTube when I came across the pasta recipe below � my video for butternut squash ravioli!

There it was, mocking me and my lack of butternut squash with which to make it. So, I decided to do the next best thing and repost it. It's a great recipe and perfect for this time of year. By the way, you freakishly small wooden spoon fans will be happy to know le petit bois makes an appearance. Enjoy!



Here is the link to the original post complete with ingredients!

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Sun Gold Penne Pasta - A Delicious Antidote for Your Overgrown Bush

Most cherry tomato gardeners have a love/hate relationship with the plant. You love that the plant grows into such a huge bush with minimal effort, and by the end of summer is producing handful, after handful of the small, sweet fruit.

That's also what causes the inevitable feelings of guilt and shame as so much of the crop goes to waste. You can only give away so much before people start making excuses. In an attempt to give you one more recipe to use up some of those tomatoes, I present this penne pasta featuring a simple, but surprisingly flavorful sauce.

I used mostly Sun Gold tomatoes, which are my favorite variety -- so incredibly sweet; they're like eating little balls of sunshine. When turned into a quick puree with some garlic and fresh herb, they make a fast and very tasty pasta sauce that may help put a little dent in your bumper crop.

The best ways to eat cherry tomatoes are as follows: First, plucked warm off the vine and eaten raw standing in front of the plant. Next best is raw, in some sort of salad. Third best is made into a sauce as I've done here.

Of course, by this time of the year you are so over the first two options that even though this is only the third best way to enjoy them, it will seem even better that the best two ways... I mean, do the math.

Anyway, I hope you give this pasta a try, and remember, this is suppose to be an extremely simple pasta -- perfect for enjoying the sunny goodness of the tomatoes, so resist the temptation to complicate things by adding lots of "stuff." Enjoy!



Ingredients:
2 cups Sun Gold cherry tomatoes
2 cups chicken broth
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves sliced garlic
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tbsp fresh oregano leaves
14-oz dry penne pasta, cooked
salt to taste
1/2 cup grated real Parmesan cheese (Parmigiano-Reggiano)

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Don't Call it Daffy - Duck Leg Ragu!

This video recipe was filmed over a year ago (with a webcam duct-taped to a spice rack), and was never posted here due to what I thought was a corrupted file (and no back-up). I won�t bore you with the technical details (which means I'm not sure how I did it), but I was able to extract the video and do a new voice-over. Unfortunately, there were no photos of the dish, which explains the screen shot, with watercolor filter applied, seen here.

As I say in the video, duck legs are such great meat. They are cheap, rich tasting, easy to work with, and if you do some research, you'll learn that duck fat is actually not such a bad thing. I doubt your local grocery store sells them - instead you'll find whole frozen ducks, which will work in a pinch. But, if you call a meat market, or restaurant supplier, they can easily order a box of frozen duck legs for you. I get mine at a local SF meat wholesaler for about $3 a pound.

They really are delicious, and well worth the trouble searching for. Hey, you can probably even order them online. Here, I'm using them in place of pork and/or beef, in a fairly straightforward meat sauce recipe. Another great thing about the legs is the magnificent skin. I love it fried to a crisp, chopped up, and dusted on top of my pasta. A stunning contrast in texture and flavor. Enjoy!



Ingredients:
6 duck legs
olive oil
salt and pepper
1 onion
1 carrot
2 ribs celery
4 cloves garlic
red pepper flakes
1 cup white wine
28 oz can tomato puree
1 cup chicken broth
fresh rosemary, thyme, oregano (3 springs of each) tied with string
1 pound rigatoni
parmesan cheese

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Asparagus and Chicken Noodle Casserole - It's the Best Jerry, the Best!

The spring sun says, "Use fresh green asparagus," but the chilly breeze says "how about a creamy, comforting casserole?" I say let's have both. This video recipe shows my fairly straightforward approach to the great American casserole. This recipe can be used for almost any combination of protein and vegetable, and the results will be just as delicious.

I'm not usually a big "blancher" of asparagus, preferring to pan-roast or grill it, but in this recipe the quick dip in boiling water is necessary to lock in that beautiful green color that remains vibrant even after 30 minutes of baking. The other atypical behavior here is the use of canned cream of mushroom soup. I can't ever remember using it to make soup. Why would you, when homemade mushroom soup is so far superior? But, when making a casserole, it seems completely right, if not required.

No matter what kind of casserole you're making, the best part is the crispy top. You Seinfeld fans will, of course, fondly remember the muffin tops, and pudding skins episodes. What about a restaurant that serves only the top of the casserole? Let's see, what should I call it?



Ingredients:
2 tbsp butter
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves minced garlic
2 tbsp flour
3 cups milk
1 can cream of mushroom soup
cayenne and salt to taste
8 oz dry wide egg noodles
2 bunch asparagus
4 cooked chicken breasts
6 oz white cheddar cheese
3/4 cup bread crumbs
2 tbsp olive oil

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Merluzzo Pasta Puttanesca - Pimp My Cod!

Merluzzo is Codfish in Italian, and I just thought it would look cooler in the title. In case you've never heard of a "Puttanesca" sauce before, it's Italian for "in the style of the whore." I know, it sounds appetizing doesn�t it? But, it really is a fantastic and fast pasta sauce that can be prepared and tossed on plain pasta, or used as a base for a more complex recipe as I have done here. I've taken the basic Puttanesca sauce and added fresh codfish and Arugula to create a very nice, and quite healthy seafood pasta. By the way, it tastes much better than it looks! The black olive tapenade I added makes for a sort of grey and muddy looking sauce, but when you dress it up with a little parmesan on top and more red pepper flakes, it suddenly becomes much more attractive (insert your own prostitute joke here).

Now, as far as the story behind the Puttanesca sauce's origins, there are many stories, some more "colorful" than others. It is pretty much agreed upon that Naples was the birthplace, but that's about all that people don't argue about. What follows are the most common explanations of this delicious sauce; the ladies of the night made this pasta sauce because the irresistible aroma would help draw in customers. It was created as a quick and cheap meal the ladies could eat in between customers. It is hot, spicy, and fast, as are the woman for whom it's named.

Regardless of the true origin, it's a great sauce, and one that should be part of your regular pasta rotation, no matter what your own personal level of virtue happens to be. I've made this version much lower calorie by reducing the usual amount of olive oil and replaced it with stock and wine. Enjoy!




Ingredients:
1 pound fresh cod
2 cups chicken or fish stock (or water)
1 pound pasta
1 cup white wine
2 tbl anchovy paste
2 tbl red pepper flakes
6 cloves garlic
2 tbl olive tapenade or chopped olives
1/4 cup capers
1 bunch Arugula (about 2-3 cups)
2 tbl olive oil
1/2 cup parmesan

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