Patsy's Italian Family Cookbook (29 page)

RED PEPPER PESTO

2 garlic cloves, peeled

2 large red bell peppers, roasted (see
here
)

⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil

⅓ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

¼ cup packed fresh basil leaves

¼ cup light cream or half-and-half

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound linguine

Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for serving

1.
To make the pesto: With the food processor running, drop the garlic through the feed tube and process until minced. Add the roasted bell peppers, oil, grated cheese, basil, and light cream and process until smooth. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Cover and set aside at room temperature for up to 2 hours.

2.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the linguine and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Scoop out and reserve 1 cup of the cooking water. Drain the linguine well and return it to its cooking pot.

3.
Add about three-quarters of the red pepper pesto and mix well. Mix in enough of the cooking water to make the sauce creamy. Transfer the linguine to a large serving bowl and top with the remaining pesto. Serve hot, with the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano passed on the side.

Penne with Vodka Sauce

MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS

When we first started serving this pasta sauce, it was called velutto, “velvet” in Italian. That’s an accurate description of this creamy tomato sauce that has become a staple in Italian restaurants around the world. No one is quite sure who first discovered how the alcohol in vodka reacts with the other ingredients to intensify their flavors. My son Joseph would eat this every day, if we let him. Don’t worry! The alcohol burns off during cooking.

VODKA SAUCE

3 tablespoons olive oil

¼ cup minced yellow onion

One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream

2 tablespoons vodka

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

¼ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 pound penne or other tube-shaped pasta

Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for serving

1.
To make the sauce: Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until translucent, about 3 minutes.

2.
Stir in the crushed tomatoes and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened slightly, about 35 minutes. During the last 5 minutes, whisk in the cream, vodka, butter, tomato paste, basil, parsley, and red pepper flakes. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

3.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the penne and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain well. Return the penne to its cooking pot. Add about three-quarters of the sauce and mix well. Transfer to a large serving bowl and top with the remaining sauce. Serve hot with the Parmigiano-Reggiano passed on the side.

Fusilloni with Veal, Cream, and Tomato Sauce

MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS

We call this “lasagna in a bowl” because it has the same flavors and ingredients as lasagna but without the layering. Fusilloni itself has a nickname, too: “Fusilli on steroids.” They are big curly pasta shapes that are perfect for substantial sauces like this one.

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 small yellow onion, chopped

1 pound ground veal

4 cups
Tomato Sauce

4 dried bay leaves

¼ cup fresh basil chiffonade (see
here
)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound fusilloni or radiatore

1½ cups whole-milk ricotta cheese

½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.

2.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Add the veal and cook, stirring often and breaking up the veal with the side of a spoon, until the veal loses its raw pink color, about 5 minutes.

3.
Stir in the tomato sauce and bay leaves and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover with the lid ajar. Simmer, stirring occasionally, to blend the flavors, about 10 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Stir in the basil and season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and cover to keep the sauce warm.

4.
Meanwhile, add the fusilloni to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Scoop out and reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain the fusilli and return it to its cooking pot. Add half of the veal sauce, the reserved pasta water, the ricotta and Parmigiano and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the sauce comes to a simmer.

5.
Transfer to a large serving bowl and top with the remaining veal sauce. Serve hot.

Penne with Wild Boar Ragù

MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS

Because wild boars (and their human hunters) abound in Tuscany, you’ll find this incredible, full-flavored sauce in every trattoria in the region. Wild boar may be a relative to domesticated pork, but is has a stronger flavor. It is worth searching out.

SAUCE

1 large white onion, chopped

1½ pounds wild boar shoulder, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes (see Note)

⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil

One 28-ounce can plum tomatoes, drained and chopped

1 cup
Chicken Stock