Everyday Pasta (22 page)

6 servings

Anytime you add sausage to a pasta dish, you exponentially increase the number of people who are going to love it; by adding vegetables, you turn it into a complete meal, a win-win situation all around.

Heat the oil reserved from the tomatoes in a large, heavy frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook until browned, breaking up the meat into bite-size pieces with a fork, about 8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the sausage to a bowl. Add the artichokes, asparagus, and garlic to the same skillet, and sauté over medium heat until the garlic is tender, about 2 minutes. Add the broth, wine, and sun-dried tomatoes. Boil over medium-high heat until the sauce reduces slightly, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta in boiling water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Drain the pasta.

Add the pasta, sausage, ½ cup of the Parmesan cheese, the basil, and parsley to the artichoke mixture. Toss until the sauce is almost absorbed by the pasta. Stir in the mozzarella, if using. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve, passing the additional Parmesan cheese alongside.

6 to 8 servings

These meatballs are inspired by a turkey meatloaf that I wrap in pancetta before baking. Everyone loves spaghetti and meatballs, though, so I decided to put the pancetta directly into the meatball mixture and bake rather than fry them. The salty pancetta and the sweet sun-dried tomatoes make these meatballs that people will rave about for a long time.

To make the meatballs, preheat the oven to 450°F.

Heat the olive oil in a medium, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook for 2 minutes. Add the onion and continue to cook until the pancetta is crisp and the onion is tender, about 4 minutes more. Remove from the heat and let cool.

In a large bowl, combine the pancetta-and-onion mixture with the remaining meatball ingredients and stir to combine. Form the turkey mixture into balls about 2 inches in diameter, using about 2 tablespoons for each, and place on a foil-lined and greased baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, warm the ¼ cup of olive oil over medium heat. Add the tomatoes, garlic cloves, parsley, salt, and pepper and cook for 10 minutes. Discard the garlic cloves. Add the cooked meatballs and the cooked pasta and toss to coat. Add the reserved pasta water, about ¼ cup at a time, if the pasta needs moistening. Arrange on a serving platter and top with the basil.

4 to 6 servings

The literal translation of
ditalini
is “small fingers,” and I’m partial to this small, short shape because I like the ingredients in a pasta dish to be all roughly the same size—including the pasta. You can substitute any other small short-cut pasta you have on the shelf.

Place the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until all the moisture has evaporated and the mushrooms have cooked down, about 10 minutes. Add the Marsala and continue cooking until almost all the wine has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the artichoke hearts and cream and cook until the artichokes are heated through, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta, then add it to the skillet with the mushroom-and-artichoke sauce. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, parsley, and pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.

4 to 6 servings

Another recipe that kids (and adults!) will wolf down, this is a combination of two dishes everyone loves: chicken cutlets Milanese and warm pasta salad.

Preheat the oven to 500°F. Brush a large, heavy, foil-lined baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of oil. Place the buttermilk in a large bowl. Add the chicken tenders, stir to coat, and let stand for at least 15 minutes and up to 30 minutes.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain.

Stir the Parmesan and bread crumbs together in a pie pan. Season the mixture with a pinch of salt and pepper. Remove the chicken tenders from the buttermilk, allowing the excess to drip back into the bowl, and dredge them in the bread-crumb mixture to coat completely, pressing to adhere. Arrange the coated chicken tenders on the prepared baking sheets, spacing evenly. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the oil and bake until they are cooked through and golden brown, about 12 minutes. Transfer the chicken tenders to a cutting board and cut into 1-inch pieces.

Meanwhile, mash the garlic with 1 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Whisk in the vinegar and then the remaining ½ cup of oil. Season with ¼ teaspoon pepper.

Place the drained pasta in a large serving bowl. Drizzle with the vinaigrette, sprinkle with the parsley, and top with the chicken. Toss to combine, and serve.