Cook Like a Rock Star - Anne Burrell [40]
That’s no tuna noodle casserole!
YOU SAY TOMATO, I SAY SAN MARZANO
San Marzano tomatoes are, as the name suggests, from San Marzano, Italy, outside of Naples. Sweet and delicious, these canned tomatoes are naturally very low in acid. Sometimes you’ll notice people add a pinch of sugar to tomatoes when making sauce—this is not to sweeten the sauce so much as to offset the acid in the tomatoes. When you’re using San Marzano tomatoes, this isn’t necessary because they’re naturally super-sweet and low in acid. However, for this same reason, they need a lot of salt to bring out their best flavor … accept it and move on.
San Marzano tomatoes are perfect for sauce, and they work beautifully with my favorite piece of kitchen equipment: the food mill. It’s super–old school but I love using a food mill to purée tomatoes because it lets the seeds slip through, leaving all the big-money stuff up top. Remember, when you put your tomatoes through a food mill, be sure to scrape the pulp off the bottom to get every last bit of tomato-y goodness! This is the stuff that will help thicken the sauce, so you don’t want to leave it behind. Got it?
SERVES: 4 TO 6 • TIME: ABOUT 20 MINUTES WITH PREMADE PASTA DOUGH
I LOOOOOVE nuts. And this super-classic preparation, which is hugely flavorful and really easy to make, is all about them. I start by toasting and puréeing walnuts—both of which help bring out their flavor and natural fattiness. Combine them with some sharp cheese and spicy arugula, and you end up with a dish that’s luscious and palate cleansing at the same time.
MISE EN PLACE
Kosher salt
1 cup walnuts
3 cups baby arugula
1 clove garlic, smashed
½ cup freshly grated Pecorino
½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano
Extra virgin olive oil
½ cup heavy cream
1 recipe Chef Anne’s All-Purpose Pasta Dough, cut into tagliolini, or 1 pound fresh tagliolini
Big fat finishing oil
1 Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2 Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil.
3 Put the walnuts on a baking sheet and roast for 6 to 7 minutes.
4 Combine the walnuts, arugula, garlic, Pecorino, and Parmigiano in a food processor and purée until the mixture is a coarse paste. While the machine is running, drizzle in just enough olive oil to get the paste from coarse to smooth. Stop, scrape down the sides, and add the cream. Pulse, pulse, pulse until the cream is just combined; season with salt and taste to make sure it’s delicious.
5 Put the pesto in a large wide saucepan and loosen it with a couple ladlefuls of the pasta water—you don’t want it to be thin, but you want it to be a sauce. Bring to medium heat.
6 Cook the pasta for 3 to 4 minutes or until tender but still toothsome. Drain the pasta and toss with the sauce, stirring vigorously to coat. Add a drizzle of big fat finishing oil and stir once more. Serve immediately.
I love the feel of nuts in my mouth!
Here’s a tip: to avoid burning your nuts, set a timer. Once you start to smell them—it’s too late!
Spag & Excellent “Meatbawls”
SERVES: 4 TO 6 • TIME: ABOUT 4 HOURS, MOSTLY UNATTENDED
I LOOOOOVE meatballs—who doesn’t? This is my interpretation of the classic Italian-American dish. What makes these meatballs special are two things: First, I cook the onions before putting them in the meatball mix. Second, I add water—this helps ensure a moist ball every time!
MISE EN PLACE
FOR THE SAUCE
Extra virgin olive oil
¼ pound pancetta, cut into ¼-inch dice
4 onions, cut into ¼-inch dice
Pinch of crushed red pepper
Kosher salt
4 cloves garlic, smashed and finely chopped
4 28-ounce cans San Marzano tomatoes, passed through a food mill
FOR THE MEATBALLS
Extra virgin olive oil
2 onions, cut into ¼-inch dice
Kosher salt
2 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
Pinch of crushed red pepper
½ pound ground beef
½ pound ground veal
½ pound ground pork
2 large eggs
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano, plus more as needed
¼ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 cup bread crumbs
Spaghetti or other pasta
Big fat finishing oil
FOR THE