Get Cooking_ 150 Simple Recipes to Get You Started in the Kitchen - Mollie Katzen [40]
3. When the pasta water boils, add the rigatoni, 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, ladle out and save 1 cup of the pasta water, then dump the rest of the water-plus-pasta into the colander. Shake to mostly drain (it’s okay to leave some water clinging). Then transfer the pasta to the pan containing the roasted onions and asparagus.
4. Toss in the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus the garlic and a heaping ¼ cup (a little more than half) of the Parmesan. Pour in the vinegar and the reserved cup of pasta cooking water, sprinkle in the salt, and stir to combine.
5. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs and the remaining Parmesan over the top, put the pan in the oven, and bake, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until lightly golden on top. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature, topped with a good amount of freshly ground black pepper.
TOASTED BREADCRUMBS
These work just about anywhere, and you’ll find them suggested as a finishing touch in recipes throughout this book. To make them, toast some really good whole wheat or rustic artisan-style bread until it is crisp but not too dark. Let the toast cool completely, so it’s quite hard. Then put it in a bowl and crumble it with your fingers, or put it in a plastic bag and roll with a bottle or a rolling pin. For more flavor, toss the crumbs in a skillet over medium heat with just enough good-quality olive oil to moisten them, stirring frequently, until the crumbs are golden and crisp. Toasted without oil, breadcrumbs keep for a long time and are multipurpose; toasted with oil, they are best used quickly and are incomparably delicious.
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GET CREATIVE
Sprinkle some chopped toasted walnuts on top just before serving.
Add up to 1 cup of extra cheese when stirring in the Parmesan. You can use diced fresh mozzarella or other soft white cheeses, including jack or fontina. You could also add some crumbled Gorgonzola, but use a light hand (say, about ½ cup) to accommodate its very strong flavor.
Make this vegan by using eggless pasta and omitting the cheese.
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linguine with spinach and peas
Makes 3 to 4 servings
Culinary secret: A great dish, even a great pasta, doesn’t have to involve a lot of actual cooking. In this one, the heat of the pasta does most of the work, wilting the spinach, melting the cheese, warming the peas, and bringing all the flavors together beautifully. It’s an easy weeknight supper that could also double as an elegant little dish to serve to friends. Use the baby spinach that comes prewashed in bags or boxes—no stemming necessary. Of all the get creative suggestions in the list that follows, I strongly recommend throwing on a few toasted pine nuts. (Put them in a dry skillet over low heat and shake them often until they are lightly browned, watching them like a hawk so they don’t burn.) Very worthwhile.
Salt for the pasta water
About ½ bag (about 5 ounces) fresh baby spinach leaves
5 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 good-sized cloves)
½ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes (plus extra to pass at the table)
¾ pound linguine
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese (plus extra to pass at the table)
One 10-ounce package frozen peas, defrosted and at room temperature
1. Put a large pot of cold water to boil over high heat, and add a tablespoon of salt. Place a large colander in the sink.
2. While the water is coming to a boil, tear the spinach into large bite-sized pieces (this pretty much means just tearing the leaves in half, since they’re already small) and drop them into a large bowl. Pour the olive oil over the spinach, then sprinkle in the garlic, salt, and red pepper flakes.