Pasta and Potatoes / Pasta e Patate - A Classic Recipe to Chase the Chill Away

Pasta and Potato

Pasta and Potatoes

It's still chilly these days even though February this year was milder than usual and bowls of hearty vegetables and pasta still go a long way to taking the edge of that chill off. This particular recipe I started making this summer after one of our volunteers, Mascia, prepared us one of her favorite dishes, her grandmother's recipe for pasta e patata, or pasta and potatoes. It's always a treat when someone cooks for us, and especially so when its from one of our volunteers. We've had a variety of International cuisines over the years, Japanese, French, Dutch, Italian vegan / macrobiotic and even my familiar American. 

Most everyone can always use another pasta dish to add to their repertoire.This one seems to be a classic dish in many parts of Italy with as many variations as their are cooks I would imagine. In it's simplest form it is very much like what many of us think of as minestrone soup without the beans. Some people like to add a bit of saltiness and flavor punch by adding in some form of porky cut of meat with various levels of fattiness and smokiness or not. Some like a bit of red pepper zippiness or a touch of oregano. Most are a thick "stick to your ribs" kind of consistency. The Neapolitan version is  finished off in an oven proof dish smothered in smoked, or not, provolone cheese slices and heated till the cheese melts and served right away. 

This version is a simpler straight forward version that Mascia insisted that the butter used to sauté the vegetables was her nonna's secret ingredient.  Here in the north they are fond of using butter and it does make a tasty addition to this simple dish and is highly recommended. What ever your preference might be I think you will find this classic pasta dish a great comfort and "go to" recipe for any day of the week. 
Thanks Mascia for sharing your nonna's recipe. 

Yield : 4 servings

Ingredients:

2-3 T olive oil, extra virgin

30g / 2 T butter

50 g smoked pancetta, prosciutto, or guanciale (optional)*

80 g / 1/2 c  white onion 

80 g / 1/2 c carrots, diced

80 g / 1/2 c  celery, diced

100 g / 2/3 c cherry tomatoes or pachino, blanched, peeled and diced
or some ready made tomato sauce or a combination of the two

3 ½ – 4 cups water or stock

1 vegetable bullion cube, use if you don't have chicken or vegetable stock

500 g / 2 3/4 c potatoes (peeled and cubed)

160 g / 1 1/3 c small shaped pasta ( small tubes, wheels, gnocchetti, mixed pasta, half penne)

2 -3 Parmigiana or Grana Padana crusts (optional)*

Parsley chopped to garnish  or some oregano as some recipes call for 

Grated Parmigiana to sprinkle

Salt and pepper  or hot red pepper to taste

*Variation: In Naples and other southern parts of Italy they will put the finished dish in oven proof bowls and cover the top with some slices of smoked provolone cheese. Heating it to melt the cheese before serving.

Directions:

In a medium pot, at least 2 qt/L, heat your pan, then add the butter and olive oil.

Once the butter has melted and the oil is heated, add the diced onion, carrot and celery.

Sauté the vegetables on a medium heat for a few minutes.

Cook until the vegetables are soft, but hasn't picked up any color, about 3-5 minutes.

Then add the meat if using, and tomatoes, cook a few more minutes.

Add 3 cups of water to the sautéed vegetables along with bullion cube, if using

and the potatoes and pasta.

Taste and adjust seasonings keeping in mind that the crusts will add salt to the dish.

Add the Parmigiana crusts if you have them.

Cook until the potatoes and pasta are cooked, adding the other ½ -1 cup of additional water to reach a creamy texture, but not too soupy.

Serve hot and garnish with Parmigiana if desired. 

Buon appetito!!

Spaghetti and Lentils, Hearty Fare for a Winters Day

It's still comfort food time as far as I'm concerned. I don't know about you, but spring is still a ways away and this is a tasty somewhat lighter variation of the classic Italian dish," pasta e fagioli", or pasta and beans. It's a dish I love. I usually use a short tube pasta with borlotti beans. The broth of the beans and the starch of the pasta makes for a simple thick stew whose rich flavor is comfort at it's best. This version combines lentils and spaghetti. There are many variations in the different regions and when I came across Joe of Italyville family's version, who hail from Calabria and whose recipe features lentils and spaghetti, I knew it would be a combination I would love, and I do. You can find his family's "Italian Lentil Soup" original recipe here.  I've updated mine to include farro or spelt spaghetti as it's nutty flavor goes well with the earthy lentils. Generally, I'm not a fan of whole wheat pasta (don't get Joe started on that subject) as I find it heavy and strange in it's texture, but spelt is entirely different, in my opinion. It has all the slippery qualities of regular white pasta, but with added flavor and many health claims that are attached to spelt. I find that it just tastes great. I like to use small lentils as they cook up faster and with out the need to soak them over night. I find that I tend to decide to make this pretty much last minute, so the minimal cooking time is a bonus, although regular lentils don't really take that much longer to cook and makes a hearty bowl of pasta goodness.

I always have a bit of a chuckle whenever I make pasta and beans, as it reminds me of an incident that cemented in my mind just how regional Italian cuisine is. When we first opened  Bella Baita, our B&B, back in 2003, we were casting about looking for guests, since we returned to Fabrizio's family business that had really only focused on their osteria/restaurant, La Baita. Even though they had built on a few rooms, they never really pursued the business side of renting out the rooms. Although we were on the map for the locals, as "La Baita" had been very popular over the years, there was no past history to draw upon. We cast about for what ever we could find that came our way and luckily we made a connection with a couple of companies that were building the new tunnels for the new and improved road up our valley. This effort was all a part of the infrastructure improvement and run up to the 2006 Winter Olympics that were held here. We were fortunate to have a group of workers, from the south of Italy, that were here working to build the new tunnels. They were to stay with us until their company could arrange more permanent accommodations for them. We sent them off at 5 am after a quick coffee and brioche and they returned to eat dinner with us in the evening. The first couple of days we made what is typical of primi piatti here, soup and risotto, to a less than enthusiastic response. How odd indeed, as these are the things that you find on menus and in the homes of northern Italians and we didn't think we were that bad of cooks. On the 3rd night one of them asked us why we didn't serve pasta. Ah ha, the light bulb over the head goes on. Yes, of course, pasta! The next night we served pasta e fagioli and were greeted with ear to ear grins and clean plates all round. It was pasta every night every night after that to happy eaters and satisfied cooks. I still remember that first plate of pasta e fagioli and their beaming faces, and I find a myself braking out into a grin.  I think you'll find this might rustle up some smiles and satisfaction to you and yours as well.
I made half this recipe for the two of us with enough to serve for lunch the next day. 

Spaghetti e Lenticchie (Lentils)

 Serves 4-6 

• 100g pancetta, speck or prosciutto crudo, or bacon, diced
• 2 leeks, sliced in semi circles or 1 large onion, diced 
• 2-3 stalks of celery – diced, mine were kind of small
• 2  large carrots – diced
• 2 garlic cloves, diced'
• 2 bay leaves
• 1tsp thyme, dry  
• 60g /1/4 c white wine
• 200g /1c lentils, I like to use organic and the really small ones for faster cooking
• water or vegetable or chicken stock about 700g/3 cups
• 6 plum type tomatoes,  peeled and chopped, I used San Marzano varieties that I had frozen
• or a can of diced tomatoes, can size is up to you
• 300g /a little over 1/2 box of spaghetti,  I like farro or spelt spaghetti
• small piece of parmesan rind, if you have it
• salt and pepper
• olive oil

• Garnish with fresh thyme or parsley if you have any, for a nice touch

Method

In a large deep saute pan Pour a small amount of oil and begin to cook your pancetta or bacon. If you meat is very  fatty, you might not need the oil. If you are using a lean parma/prosciutto  ham you will need the oil. Saute for a while until it starts to get crispy. I like to remove most of the pork, reserving it to add at the end so it still retains some texture and flavor. 

Either drain off some of the fat if too oily or add a little more olive oil and add your diced leek, or onion, carrot, celery and garlic. 

Continue to cook over a moderate flame until just starting to soften, about 5 minutes or so.

Add the thyme and bay leaf and white wine

Continue to cook until the white wine is almost evaporated

Then add the lentils and stir thoroughly and let it cook a few minutes.

Add vegetable or chicken stock if you like, but I usually just use water to completely cover the whole mixture and you have a loose soupy consistency. You will probably add about 3 c or more. You will be adding more later. 

If you have a piece of parmesan rind, add it at this time for that little added flavor to your mix and it will be the cooks reward later.

Let it all simmer for about 20 minutes or until the lentils are soft.

Add more water now, not stock, and bring your liquid back up to where you started and maybe even a little more. 

Add some salt. Taste it. You want to be able to tell that you have salt, but is not enough that you would serve it, yet. You will adjust your salt at the end. 

Add your diced tomatoes.

Break your spaghetti in half and add to your soup.

Let it all simmer till your spaghetti is just about al dente. 

Add your reserved pancetta or salty pork.

Taste it again and adjust your salt and add some pepper. 

Retrieve the softened parmesan rind, your cooks reward 

Garnish with fresh chopped herbs like thyme and chives or parsley and serve.

Wait for the grins from ear to ear!

Buon appetito!

My crusty bread to sop up the juices

Spaghetti con Zucchini

When I started this post it was spring and the tiny tender zucchini were a delight to find after the winter vegetables had been a round for so long. Then it was hot, hot, hot, but since then things have cooled down a bit and still I find this simple recipe a three season pleaser. When the weather heats up and the siren song of the outdoors calls I think everyone starts to think in terms of simpler ways of cooking. The heart of Italian cooking itself relies on seasonality and  robustness of flavor so your ingredients flavors sing out with mimimal and simple preparation. Sounds perfect for the time of the year when you just want to be outdoors and cooking other than grilling doesn't hold much appeal. This simple pasta dish makes for an ample main or side dish that's satisfying without overdoing it.

Fingerling zucchini

I tracked down a lovely, out of print cookbook this winter from a a used bookseller and have been enjoying each of these very easy "Top One Hundred Pasta Sauces,"that Diane Seed assembled in the late 80's from her time spent living in Italy. I'm glad I tracked it down almost just for the vibrant pastel illustrations by Robert Budwig.  I must say this simplistic approach has given me an appreciation for letting the various pasta shapes and vegetables work their magic and strut their stuff without the subtleties being overwhelmed by the addition of many ingredients. It's so easy, at least for me, to think if a little garlic, basil or whatever you have is good, then, a bit more is even better. Sometimes it is, but sometimes a lighter hand makes for a stand alone flavor that shouts out it's goodness and lets you know just exactly what  you are eating. I tweaked it a little as I think it was a very large batch to manage. It's a great dish as it, and really needs no other adornment when you have small mild flavored zucchini. However it does lend itself to the usual suspects as well as garlic sauteed in with the zucchini with basil and finely chopped tomato tossed in as you toss it all together. Traditionally it is served without parmesan, with maybe a drizzle of flavorful olive oil on top just as you serve it,  but you could, of course, add some freshly grated parmesan when you serve it.  Course you can. You knew that though didn't you?

Shoe string zucchini

Spaghetti con Zucchini
  6 or so large servings

500g/1 lb spaghetti
1 kg/ 2 pounds small zucchini, thinly slivered
100 ml/  6T olive oil
salt and black pepper, coarsely ground is very nice

I love to repeat the shape of the spaghetti with the cutting of the zucchini on a mandolin or shredded as thinly as you can, so you have a long strip of zucchini resembling the pasta. You can hand cut them as well and if you have long zucchini, then just cut them into more manageable lengths. You can also simple cut them into half moon shapes, but I really like the thin strips.
Heat your oil up in a large saute pan so that the zucchini and pasta will all fit into one pot later when the pasta is cooked.
Slowly cook your zucchini until they are soft and much of their liquid has disappeared.
Cook your pasta al dente, while the zucchini are simmering.
When your pasta is done drain and add to the zucchini and serve with a light drizzle of flavorful olive oil.

*A useful tip for pasta sauces is to reserve perhaps a cup of your pasta water to add a few tablespoons as needed, if you find your pasta is a tad too dry. This is called lengthening the sauce and can be useful when making any pasta dish. You just need to be careful in how much you add, as it can easily add more salt than you might want if you are not careful.
This recipe works well making it in half portions and the two of us found that as a main course with a salad for lunch, that the half portion could have easily serve 2 more people.

Served with a chiffonade cut chicory salad with datarini tomatoes and chives, 

made for a delightful lunch.