Ultimate Cook Book_ 900 New Recipes, Thousands of Ideas - Bruce Weinstein [117]
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil, then the sausage. Cook until golden and somewhat firm, about 3 minutes. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the skillet.
Return the skillet to medium heat and add the vermouth, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. When the sauce comes to a boil, pour in the reduced broth, then add the broccoli raab. Cover and simmer until softened, about 2 minutes.
Uncover the skillet, add the pasta and cheese, and toss well.
Pasta Recommendations
Fresh: any wide noodle, from fettuccine to pappardelle, Spinach Pasta
Dried: thicker round or flat noodles, or shaped spirals like fusilli
Pasta with Mushrooms and Sage
This simple sauce adheres to our rule for all cream sauces: a little cream goes a long way. Makes enough sauce for 1 pound fresh or 12 ounces dried pasta
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 garlic cloves, minced
½ pound cremini or white button mushrooms, cleaned of any dirt and sliced
¼ cup heavy cream
¼ cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons minced sage leaves
1 pound fresh or 12 ounces dried pasta, cooked and drained
2 ounces Asiago, Pecorino Romano, or Grana Padano, grated
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
Heat the butter in a large skillet set over medium heat. The moment the foam subsides, and well before the butter browns, add the garlic and cook until softened, about 2 minutes, stirring often.
Add the mushrooms and continue cooking until they give off their moisture and it mostly evaporates, about 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the cream, wine, and sage; bring the mixture to a simmer.
Add the pasta, cheese, pepper, and salt. Toss well over the heat and serve at once.
Pasta Recommendations
Fresh: pappardelle, Whole Wheat Pasta, Butternut Squash Pasta
Dried: almost any shaped pasta or very thick-cut noodles
Variations: Substitute brandy or Cognac for the vermouth. If the sauce flames, cover the pan immediately and remove it from the heat.
Pasta Melanzane
Eggplant and olive oil are a luxurious combination. Make sure you use a high-quality oil, one with lots of flavor. For an easy variation, susbstitute lemon-or rosemary-flavored oil. Makes enough sauce for 1 pound fresh or 12 ounces dried pasta
1 large eggplant (about 1½ pounds), cut into ½-inch-thick slices
2 teaspoons salt
¼ cup olive oil
1¾ cups canned or fresh diced tomatoes with their juice
½ cup dry red wine
1 tablespoon minced oregano leaves
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound fresh or 12 ounces dried pasta, cooked and drained
Sprinkle the eggplant slices with the salt, then stand them up in a colander to drain in the sink or spread them out on paper towels on the counter. After 15 minutes, blot the slices dry, then cut into strips about ½ inch wide.
Heat a large, high-sided skillet over medium heat. Add about 2 tablespoons of the oil, then slip as many eggplant strips as will fit comfortably in the pan. Fry until soft and tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer the strips to a large plate lined with paper towels, add the remaining oil to the skillet, and cook the remaining eggplant strips as you did the first batch. Transfer these to a second plate lined with paper towels. Blot all the slices dry.
Return the strips to the skillet, set it over medium heat, and add the tomatoes, wine, oregano, red pepper flakes, and pepper. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then cover the pan with the lid askew, and reduce the heat to very low, just so the sauce bubbles slowly. Cook until somewhat thickened, about 10 minutes.
Stir in the pasta and toss to coat.
Pasta Recommendations
Fresh: not advisable because the soft texture of the sauce needs the firmer texture of dried pasta
Dried: any noodle or shaped pasta, particularly tubes like ziti, penne, or rigatoni
Ragù
Ragùs are thick, rich sauces, many of them long-simmered and all of them time-consuming in their own way. No,