High Flavor, Low Labor_ Reinventing Weeknight Cooking - J. M. Hirsch [43]
½-pound bunch of kale
16 ounces orecchiette pasta (or other small pasta)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
3 or 4 oil-packed anchovies
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil.
While the water heats, use a paring knife to cut out and discard the tough center stalk from each kale leaf. Roughly chop the kale. Set aside.
Add the pasta to the water and cook according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
While the pasta cooks, in a large, deep sauté pan over medium-high heat, combine the olive oil, anchovies, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Sauté until the anchovies break down and form a paste, about 3 minutes.
Add the kale and reduce the heat to medium. Sauté for 3 minutes, or until the kale just begins to wilt. Add the pasta and toss well to combine.
Add the lemon zest and Parmesan cheese and toss until the cheese is melted. If the pasta is too dry, add additional olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Serve topped with additional Parmesan.
HOW LONG? 20 MINUTES
HOW MUCH? 6 SERVINGS
Bow Tie Pasta with Bacon Pesto
This recipe came from a bit of on-the-fly inspiration. When my plans to prepare a Parmesan-laden pesto for a friend were derailed by her lactose intolerance, I scrambled for a substitute for the cheese. Bacon may seem an odd choice, but like Parmesan, it has a deep, savory flavor, takes well to being minced (think bacon bits for salads), and pairs well with peppery basil. Also try this pesto on crostini topped with tomato and fresh mozzarella.
6 slices thick-cut bacon
12 ounces bow tie pasta
2½ cups (about 4 ounces) lightly packed fresh basil
¼ cup pine nuts
3 cloves garlic
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1 large tomato, cored, seeded, and diced
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crisp, about 8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer it to paper towels and drain well. Let the bacon cool slightly.
Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions. Reserve Vi cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta, return it to the pot, and set aside.
In a food processor, combine the bacon, basil, pine nuts, and garlic. Pulse until well chopped. Then, with the processor running, drizzle in the olive oil until the ingredients form a thick paste. Stop the processor and scrape the sides with a rubber spatula as needed. Season with salt and pepper, then pulse again to blend.
Add the pesto to the pasta and toss well. Add just a bit of the pasta cooking water and toss again. Serve topped with diced tomato.
HOW LONG? 20 MINUTES
HOW MUCH? 4 SERVINGS
Shell Pasta with Winter Squash and Rosemary
Sweet winter squash is a wonderful partner for spicy Italian sausage. I like butternut, but acorn or any similar hard squash works fine. Just be sure to cut the squash into small pieces for this recipe. Anything larger than about ½-inch cubes will take too long to cook.
12 ounces medium (about 1 inch) shell pasta
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound spicy Italian sausages, casings removed, broken into chunks
3 cups peeled and cubed winter squash
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 cup chicken broth
½ tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain the pasta, return it to the pot, and toss it with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Set aside.
Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan over medium-high, heat