Molto Gusto_ Easy Italian Cooking - Mario Batali [25]
Spaghetti with Glass Eels
SERVES 6 · PHOTO PASTA
Kosher salt
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
5 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1 pound spaghetti
8 ounces fresh or frozen glass eels, thawed if frozen (see Note)
Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot and add 3 tablespoons kosher salt.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté until lightly golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook until just al dente. Drain, reserving ¼ cup of the pasta water.
Add the glass eels to the garlic oil and heat over medium-high heat, stirring, until they are opaque. Add the pasta, tossing and stirring to mix well (add a splash of the reserved pasta water if necessary to loosen the sauce). Serve immediately.
Note: Glass eels are in season for a few weeks in the spring, when you should be able to find them in a local Chinatown.
Spaghetti alla Carbonara
SERVES 6 · PHOTO PASTA
Kosher salt
5 ounces sliced pancetta, cut into ½-inch-wide strips
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
6 fresh large eggs
1 pound spaghetti
½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus extra for serving
¼ cup grated pecorino romano
Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot and add 3 tablespoons kosher salt.
Meanwhile, combine the pancetta and oil in another large pot and cook over medium-high heat until the pancetta has rendered some of its fat and is lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Stir in the pepper and remove from the heat.
Separate the eggs, being careful to keep the yolks intact, putting the whites in a small bowl and the yolks in a shallow dish.
Drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook until just al dente. Drain, reserving 2/3 cup of the pasta water.
Add the reserved pasta water to the pancetta and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add the egg whites and cook, whisking furiously, until they are frothy but not set, about 1 minute. Add the pasta, stirring and tossing well to coat. Stir in the cheeses.
Divide the pasta among six bowls, making a nest in the center of each portion. Gently drop an egg yolk into each nest and serve immediately, advising your guests to stir the yolk into the pasta so it will cook. Pass additional grated Parmigiano on the side.
Spaghetti all’Amatriciana
SERVES 6 · PHOTO PASTA
Kosher salt
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
4 ounces sliced guanciale or pancetta, or good American bacon, cut into ½-inch-wide strips
1 medium red onion, halved lengthwise, ends trimmed, and cut lengthwise into ¼-inch-wide slices
¼ cup tomato paste
1½ to 2 teaspoons hot red pepper flakes
¾ cup Pomì strained tomatoes, simmered until reduced by half
1 pound spaghetti
½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus extra for serving
½ cup grated pecorino romano
1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh Italian parsley
Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot and add 3 tablespoons kosher salt.
Meanwhile, combine the oil, guanciale, and onion in another large pot and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the guanciale is lightly browned and the onion is softened, about 7 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the tomato sauce and remove from the heat.
Drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook until just al dente. Drain, reserving about ½ cup of the pasta water.
Add the pasta and ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water to the guanciale and stir and toss over medium heat until the pasta is well coated (add a splash or two more of the reserved pasta water if necessary to loosen the sauce). Stir in the cheeses and parsley and serve immediately, with additional grated Parmigiano on the side.
Spaghetti alla Gricia
SERVES 6 · PHOTO