Biba's Northern Italian Cooking - Biba Caggiano [20]
1½ pounds small white mushrooms
5 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
¾ cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 tablespoons butter
Prepare Basic Egg Pasta Dough. Dry pasta sheets 10 minutes. With a fluted pastry wheel, cut each sheet of pasta into broad strips ½ inch wide to make pappardelle. Arrange noodles in soft piles on a large tablecloth.
Wash and dry mushrooms thoroughly and slice thin. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add garlic and sauté over medium heat about 1 minute.When garlic begins to color, add sliced mushrooms. Sauté mushrooms over high heat until lightly colored. Add wine. Cook until wine is reduced by half, stirring constantly. Add parsley and cook 1 minute longer. Season with salt and pepper.
Fill a very large saucepan two-thirds full with salted water. Bring water to a boil. Add noodles. Bring water back to a boil and cook noodles uncovered until tender but firm to the bite.
Drain noodles and place in skillet with sauce; add butter. Toss noodles, sauce and butter over medium heat until sauce coats noodles, 20 to 30 seconds. Serve immediately.
BAKED MACARONI
Maccheroni al Forno
Try to resist a second helping!
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
2 cups Chicken Broth, page 23 or canned chicken broth
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
4 slices (¼ pound) pancetta, page 4, diced
¼ cup tomato paste
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 pound large, grooved macaroni
Basic White Sauce, page 205, made with 2 cups milk
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Prepare Chicken Broth. Preheat oven to 375F (190C). Butter a 13 × 9-inch baking dish. Melt ¼ cup butter in a medium saucepan.When butter foams, add onion and carrot. Sauté over medium heat until onion is pale yellow. Add pancetta. Sauté until lightly colored. Combine tomato paste and broth and add to saucepan. Simmer uncovered 20 to 25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Fill a very large saucepan two-thirds full with salted water. Bring water to a boil. Add macaroni. Bring water back to a boil and cook macaroni uncovered until tender but firm to the bite, 6 to 8 minutes.
Drain macaroni and place in buttered baking dish. Prepare Basic White Sauce. Stir tomato sauce and white sauce into macaroni; mix to blend. Add ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese; mix gently. Sprinkle remaining Parmesan cheese over macaroni and dot with 2 tablespoons butter. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and top is golden. Serve hot.
MACARONI WITH VODKA SAUCE
Maccheroni con la Vodka
This simple sauce is a creation of the Dante restaurant in Bologna.
MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS
1½ cups Plain Tomato Sauce, page 208
¼ cup butter
4 slices (¼ pound) pancetta, page 4, diced
⅓ cup vodka
½ cup whipping cream
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 pound grooved macaroni, such as penne or rigatoni
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Prepare Plain Tomato Sauce. Melt butter in a large skillet.When butter foams, add pancetta. Sauté over medium heat until lightly colored. Add vodka and stir until it has evaporated. Stir in tomato sauce and cream. Simmer uncovered 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Fill a very large saucepan two-thirds full with salted water. Bring water to a boil. Add macaroni. Bring water back to a boil and cook macaroni uncovered until tender but firm to the bite, 8 to 10 minutes.
Drain macaroni and place in skillet with sauce.Toss macaroni and sauce over medium heat until sauce coats macaroni, 20 to 30 seconds. Serve immediately with Parmesan cheese.
MACARONI WITH HAM AND ASPARAGUS
Maccheroni con Prosciutto Cotto e Asparagi
It takes longer to prepare a frozen dinner than to cook this absolutely delectable dish.
MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS
1½ pounds small asparagus
¼ cup butter
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
½ pound boiled ham, diced
1 cup whipping cream
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 pound medium-size macaroni, such as penne
⅓ cup freshly