Harold McGee, author of the perenially best-selling food-science tome “On Food and Cooking,” shocked the foodosphere earlier this year by suggesting we cook pasta with much less water and much less heat than conventional wisdom dictates. His method: Barely cover the pasta with water, boil for just a couple of minutes, then let the pasta sit in the hot water until al dente.
It’s a greener way to go — less water, less energy. And it works fairly well, especially with dried pasta.
But it lacks the romance of that big, deep pot of water, as salty as the sea, bubbling away on the stove and steaming up the kitchen.
Whichever way you choose to cook it, never rinse pasta once it’s done, and never toss it in oil until after you’ve introduced it to its sauce. Both of these mistakes will make it harder for pasta to hold on to sauce, which is really the point of pasta in the first place.
Cut back on carbs by using less pasta and more sauce.
Dried pasta lasts for a year or more, so stock up when you see a sale — 10-for-$10 deals are everywhere.
Any of the recipes offered today can easily be doubled to make enough for lunch tomorrow.
Tucker Shaw
Four Cheese Pasta
Not pictured. From “The Best Skillet Recipes,” by editors of Cook’s Illustrated magazine (America’s Test Kitchen). Serves 4.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium shallots, minced (6 tablespoons)
Salt
3/4 cup dry white wine
4 3/4 cups water
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
12 ounces (about 3 3/4cups) penne
1/2 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese
3/4 cup shredded fontina cheese
1/3 cup grated pecorino romano cheese
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
Ground black pepper
Directions
Melt butter in a deep 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and cook until softened, about 1 minute. Stir in the wine, and simmer until nearly evaporated, 2 to 4 minutes.
Stir in the water and cream, then add the pasta. Increase the heat to high, and cook at a vigorous simmer, stirring often, until the pasta is tender and the liquid has thickened, 15 to 18 minutes. Turn off the heat, and stir in the cheeses one at a time until melted and combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.
Spaghetti With Black Olives and Lemon
From “The Silver Spoon: Pasta” (Phaidon). Serves 4.
Ingredients
10 ounces spaghetti
30 black olives, pitted and chopped
10 fresh basil leaves, torn
Juice of 1 large lemon, strained
6-8 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
Directions
Cook the spaghetti in plenty of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, return to the pan, and immediately add the olives, basil, lemon juice and enough oil to season. Toss well and serve immediately or let cool, then chill in the refrigerator.
Pasta With Tuna, White Beans and Artichoke Hearts
Adapted from “Get Cooking,” by Mollie Katzen (Harper Studio)
Ingredients
1 can cannelloni or navy beans (about 15 ounces)
1/3 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic (1 good-sized clove)
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt (plus more for the pasta water)
Freshly ground black pepper
1 can tuna (about 12 ounces), drained
1 jar (about 6 ounces) marinated artichoke hearts (or more to taste)
3 or 4 scallions (white and tender green parts), minced
A handful of chopped flat-leaf parsley
3/4 pound fettucine, linguine or any pasta (your choice)
Directions
Set a colander in the sink and pour in the beans; give them a quick rinse and allow them to drain.
Pour the olive oil into a large bowl. Add the garlic, lemon juice and salt, and stir to combine. Add the beans and 5 to 6 grinds of black pepper. Stir gently to coat all the beans, and let sit for at least 30 minutes to marinate. (You can do this step up to 2 days ahead, in which case, cover and refrigerate the mixture and then bring it back to room temperature before proceeding.)
Add the tuna to the beans, flaking it with a fork and then mixing it in gently, so as not to break the beans. Stir in the artichokes (including all of their marinade), along with the scallions and parsley.
Put on a large pot of cold water to boil over high heat, and add a tablespoon of salt. Place a large colander in the sink. When the water boils, add the pasta, keeping the heat high. Cook for the amount of time recommended on the package, tasting the pasta toward the end of the suggested time to be sure it is not getting overcooked. When it is just tender enough to bite into comfortably but not yet mushy, dump the water-plus-pasta into the colander. Shake to mostly drain (it’s OK to leave some water clinging), and then add the pasta to the bowl with the bean mixture.
Gently stir the pasta and sauce until well combined. (The best tool for stirring will depend on the shape of the pasta: tongs for longer shapes like fettucine, a large spoon for shorter ones.) Serve right away.
Pesto Pasta With Vegetables
Adapted from “Clean Food,” by Terry Walters (Sterling Epicure). Serves 8.
Ingredients
PESTO
3 garlic cloves, peeled
2 1/2 cups fresh basil or lemon basil leaves
1 cup toasted pine nuts
1/2 cup soy or rice parmesan cheese
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
PASTA
1 1/2 pounds pasta
Extra-virgin olive oil
3 cups broccoli florets
4 carrots, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 1/2 cups black olives
Directions
Prepare pesto: With food processor running, drop in garlic cloves and process until minced. Add remaining pesto ingredients and process until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
Cook pasta according to directions on package. Drain and return to pot. Meanwhile, bring 4 cups water to boil. Place broccoli florets and carrots in medium bowl. Cover with boiling water and let sit for 2 minutes. Drain, add to pasta along with pepper, tomatoes and olives. Fold in pesto. Serve warm or chilled.
Spaghetti With Mascarpone and Prosciutto
Adapted from “Thirty Minute Pasta,” by Giuliano Hazan (Stewart, Tabori & Chang). Serves 4.
Ingredients
4 ounces mascarpone cheese (about 1/2cup)
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano- Reggiano cheese
Salt
4 ounces prosciutto, sliced 1/8-inch thick
1 pound spaghetti
Directions
Fill a pot for the pasta with about 6 quarts of water and bring to a boil.
Put the mascarpone in the bowl you’ll be serving the pasta in. Add the egg yolk, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, and salt, and mix well. Cut the prosciutto into narrow strips about 1 inch long and mix it into the mascarpone.
When the water for the pasta is boiling, add about 2 tablespoons salt, add the spaghetti, and stir until all the strands are submerged. Cook until al dente.
When the pasta is about halfway done, put 2 tablespoons of the pasta water into the mascarpone mixture and mix it in well. When the pasta is done, drain it well, transfer to the serving bowl, toss vigorously with the sauce (I find it easiest to do this with a wooden spoon), and serve at once.
Penne With Lentils and Pancetta
Adapted from “Pasta Sfoglia,” by Ron and Colleen Suhanosky with Susan Simon (Wiley). Serves 4-6.
Ingredients
1 cup brown lentils (the authors suggest Castelluccio lentils, available at some specialty Italian grocers)
1 large bay leaf
1 clove garlic, skin on
1 rib celery, cut into 3 pieces
1 carrot, cut into 3 pieces
3 cups water
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 pound pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch dice (you may substitute bacon)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound good-quality penne
Grated parmesan cheese for garnish, optional
Directions
Add the lentils, bay leaf, garlic, celery, carrot, water and white wine to a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and cook until lentils are tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the salt. Do not stir. Let sit, undisturbed, so that the lentils absorb the remaining liquid and salt.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Add the pancetta to a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 4-5 minutes.
Remove the bay leaf, garlic, celery and carrot from the lentils. Add the lentils, with their liquid, to the pancetta. Add the pepper and taste for salt. You may need to add more.
Add the penne to the boiling water and cook according to package directions. Use a wire-mesh skimmer to remove the penne from the pot and place them directly into the skillet with the sauce. Stir to combine.
Serve immediately with grated parmesan cheese if desired.
Spaghetti al Vino Rosso
From “A Tavola,” by Gianni Scappin and Vincenzo Lauria (The Culinary Institute of America). Serves 4.
Ingredients
1 pound spaghetti
Salt, as needed
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling before serving
3 cups good quality light, dry red wine
3/4 cup aged pecorino or parmesan cheese
Directions
Bring 5 quarts of water to a rapid boil. Stir in the pasta and a generous pinch of salt. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, depending on the thickness of the spaghetti. Drain, reserving some of the cooking water.
In the meantime, in a large skillet, warm the oil over medium heat. Add the pasta and toss. Gradually add the wine, 1/2 cup at a time, tossing continually, until the wine is absorbed by the pasta. When the wine is almost entirely absorbed, add the cheese and combine well. Serve very hot.
Fettucine With Chicken and Almonds
From “The Silver Spoon: Pasta” (Phaidon). Serves 4.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
1 shallot, chopped
5 ounces skinless boneless chicken breast, chopped
Scant 1/2cup dry white wine
1/3 cup almonds, chopped
Scant 1 cup heavy cream
10 ounces fresh fettuccine
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
Directions
Melt the butter in a small pan. Add the shallot and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the chicken, stir well, and cook for a few minutes. Pour in the wine and cook until the alcohol has evaporated, then add the almonds and stir in the cream. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, then season with salt and pepper. Cook the fettucine in plenty of salted boiling water for 2-3 minutes until al dente. Drain, tip into a warm serving dish, pour the chicken sauce over it and sprinkle with the parmesan. Serve immediately.
