Las Vegas Review-Journal (Sunday)
Essential pasta plates, no matter what size group you’re feeding
Pasta dishes generate enthusiasm and work as easily for one or two people as they do for a group.
Here are some worth trying.
Chile crisp fettuccine Alfredo with spinach
Swirling chile crisp, a popular Chinese condiment, and spinach into fettuccine Alfredo gives you an immensely satisfying meatless one-dish dinner. The firecracker crunch of chile crisp intensifies when sizzled in butter before cream tempers its heat. Parmesan heightens the sauce’s savory umami, and pregrated cheese works just fine here. This astoundingly simple meal — it doesn’t even require any chopping — comes together in under 30 minutes but tastes as complex as anything you’d get at a restaurant.
By Genevieve Ko
Yield: 6 servings
Total time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
• Salt
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1 to 2 tbsp chile crisp, plus more to taste (see tip)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 lb dried fettuccine
• 1 (5-oz) package baby spinach
• 3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan (2 1/4 oz), plus more for serving
Preparation:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. 2. While the water heats, melt the butter with the chile crisp in a very large skillet or Dutch oven over low heat. Whisk in the cream and keep warm over low. (It should steam, not bubble.)
3. Cook the fettuccine until al dente according to the package directions. Use tongs to transfer the noodles to the cream mixture, reserving the pasta water. Add the spinach and turn with tongs until the noodles are well coated.
4. Add the Parmesan and toss, still over low heat, until the noodles are slicked with a creamy sauce, adding a spoonful or two of pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce. Divide among serving dishes and top with Parmesan and more chile crisp, if you’d like. Serve immediately.
Tip: You can make chile crisp easily at home or buy it in supermarkets or online. It varies in spiciness, so adjust the amount to your taste. For this dish, try to add more of the solids than the oil to the sauce for the most flavorful dish.
One-pan orzo with spinach and feta
Similar to spanakorizo, a Greek spinach and rice dish, this easy, meatless meal features orzo, spinach, peas and scallions. It is deeply satisfying but still on the lighter side of pasta recipes, thanks to all those vegetables. A little feta gives it creaminess and tang, while some lemon zest brightens everything up. It makes a complete meal on its own, or, if you’re looking for something more substantial, serve this as a hearty side dish to roasted meats or fish.
By Melissa Clark Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 30 minutes Ingredients:
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 4 large scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 8 oz baby spinach leaves (8 cups), coarsely chopped
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 cup orzo
• 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
• 3/4 cup crumbled feta (3 ounces), plus more for garnish
• 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed (optional)
• 1 cup chopped fresh dill, or use parsley or cilantro
Preparation:
1. Heat a 10-inch skillet over medium, then melt butter, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in about three-quarters of the scallions (saving some of the green parts for garnish) and garlic, and cook until softened, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes.
2. Stir in spinach, adding in batches if it doesn’t all fit in the pan at once, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until spinach is wilted, about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in stock and bring to a simmer. Stir in orzo, lemon zest and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until orzo is nearly cooked through and most of the liquid is absorbed, 10 to 14 minutes, stirring once or twice.
4. Stir in cheese, peas (if you like) and dill, cover the pan, and cook for another 1 minute, to finish cooking and warm the peas. To serve, sprinkle with more cheese and the reserved scallions.
Creamy chickpea pasta with spinach and rosemary
Luxurious and hearty, cheap and easy, this vegetarian pasta uses mostly pantry staples, requiring just a few fresh ingredients, like baby spinach, rosemary and heavy cream. Canned chickpeas form the foundation of the dish: They’re cooked until crisp and caramelized.
Half are then saved as a garnish, while the rest are simmered until they break down and thicken the sauce. You can swap out your greens or beans, and if you want to experiment with flavor, raid your spice cabinet: Ground coriander, toasted fennel seeds, coarsely crumbled pink peppercorns or a sprinkle of smoked paprika perk up the dish.
By Alexa Weibel
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
• Kosher salt
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 (14-oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 2 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary, plus more for garnish
• 1/2 tsp Aleppo pepper, or 1/4 to 1/2 tsp red-pepper flakes (optional)
• Black pepper
• 1 large shallot, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 (6-oz) bag baby spinach
• 12 oz spaghetti or bucatini
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan
• Lemon wedges, for serving Preparation:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high.
2. In a wide, deep skillet, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the chickpeas, rosemary and Aleppo pepper, if using. Season generously with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until chickpeas start to caramelize at their edges and pop, 5 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer about half the chickpeas to a bowl. Reserve for garnish.
3. Reduce the heat to medium, add the shallots and garlic to the skillet, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots are softened, about 3 minutes. Add the heavy cream and cook until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Turn off the heat, stir in the spinach and season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Add the pasta to the boiling water and reduce the heat to medium. Cook the pasta until a couple minutes short of al dente according to package instructions, about 5 minutes. Do not drain the pasta, but using tongs, transfer the pasta directly from the pot to the spinach and cream sauce. Add 1
cup pasta cooking water and the Parmesan, and cook over medium-high, stirring vigorously with the tongs, until the sauce is thickened and the noodles are al dente, about 2 minutes. Add a splash of pasta water to loosen sauce, if needed.
5. Transfer to bowls, and top with reserved chickpeas, rosemary and black pepper. Serve immediately, with lemon wedges for squeezing on top.
Pasta with andouille sausage, beans and greens
Highly seasoned andouille sausage makes this pasta extra-zippy, while white beans and collard greens give it a rustic flair. They are not ingredients typically used in pasta, but this dish may become part of your regular rotation once you try it. This one-dish dinner is perfect for cold, cozy nights when you want something hearty to stick to your bones, but it will satisfy any time. Swirling in lemon juice and olive oil just before serving adds freshness and ties all of the flavors together.
By Vallery Lomas
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 lb rigatoni or any pasta with ridges
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 12 oz andouille sausage, diced
• 1 shallot, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 bunch collard greens, stems discarded, leaves coarsely chopped (4 1/2 cups)
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1 (15-oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup diced fresh tomato (from 1 large) • 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced chives
• 1 lemon, zested and cut into wedges, for serving
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, for serving Preparation:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente according to the package’s instructions.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high. Add sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add shallot and garlic and cook, stirring often, until translucent, about 2 minutes.
3. Add collard greens and toss to wilt, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the thyme, cannellini beans and tomatoes and toss to warm through. Season again with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water and drain pasta. Return pasta to the empty pot and set over medium-low. Add the sausage mixture and toss to combine, gradually adding the reserved pasta water as needed to create a sauce.
5. Remove from the heat and sprinkle with parsley, chives, lemon zest and Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide among bowls, drizzle with olive oil and serve with lemon wedges.
Cheesy baked pasta with sausage and ricotta
Like a cross between baked ziti and sausage lasagna, this mozzarella-topped pasta is rich with ricotta and crushed tomatoes — and cooks entirely in one pan, including the pasta. The Italian sausage adds meaty depth to the sauce, but vegetarians can leave it out or use their favorite plant-based sausage instead.
By Melissa Clark Yield:
Total time: Ingredients:
4 servings
45 minutes
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 lb bulk hot or mild Italian sausage (pork, chicken or turkey)
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds, coarsely crushed • Pinch of red-pepper flakes, plus more for serving (optional)
• 1 (28-oz) can whole peeled tomatoes with their juices
• 1 (14-oz) can crushed or strained tomatoes
• 2 bay leaves
• Kosher salt
• 12 oz dried pasta, such as small shells, farfalle or other shaped pasta
• 8 oz fresh mozzarella, torn into bite-size pieces
• 6 oz whole-milk ricotta (about 3/4 cup) • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/4 cup basil leaves
• Black pepper, for serving
Preparation:
1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Heat oil in a 12-inch ovenproof skillet over medium-high. Crumble sausage into skillet, using a spoon to break it into small pieces. Cook until starting to brown, stirring occasionally, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic, oregano, fennel seeds and red-pepper flakes (if using), and cook another 1 to 2 minutes.
2. Stir in whole tomatoes and their juice, using a spoon to break them up. Add crushed tomatoes, bay leaves and 2 teaspoons salt, and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes to thicken slightly.
3. Stir in pasta and 1 cup water and return to a simmer. Continue to simmer for 2 minutes, stirring frequently to make sure pasta doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat, pluck out the bay leaves, and fold in about a third of the mozzarella.
4. Top pasta with remaining mozzarella and dollops of ricotta. Sprinkle with Parmesan, then transfer to oven. Bake until pasta is tender when poked with a fork, and cheese is bubbly and lightly golden, 18 to 22 minutes. (If you’d like a more deeply browned topping, run the pan under the broiler for 1 or 2 minutes.) Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving. Top with basil, plenty of black pepper, and more red-pepper flakes, if you like.