Bucatini with Bottarga  

 I did not create this recipe - taking claim for it would be sort of like taking claim for grilled cheese.  But, it is a profound food experience to I include it for reference.  Bottarga is salty and buttery and very interesting.  As Lyle Fass famously said, "this dish is a freak show"



 

2 cloves garlic

1.5 tbsp minced parsley

3 tbsp grated bottarga

1/8 lb bucatini

olive oil 

 

1. Cook bucatini in salted water until al dente

2.  heat garlic in olive oil until brown - remove for another use

3. heat bottarga in oilive oil

4. add bucatini and mix until coated

5. toss with parsley and immediately serve.

 

 

 Bachelor Pasta #1 - Tuna, Onion, Sun Dried Tomato  

The following recipes are bachelor pastas.  They can be made in single servings out of ingredients that are lying around.  These recipes are 2 servings bc I am obviously not a bachelor.

 

 This pasta has fish, salt and sweet flavors.

 

1 can tuna in olive oil

6 sun dried tomatoes, rehydrated and coarsely chopped

1/2 onion

olive oil for cooking

1 tbsp toasted pignoli nuts

 3 tbsp diced pecorino romano (not grated)

1/2 lb pasta

excellent quality extra virgin olive oil


1. Cook pasta

2. caramelize onions in olive oil and a pinch of salt

3. Add pasta to other ingredients, pepper and EVO to taste (no salt needed as the pecorino is salty) 

 Bachelor Pasta #2 - Brie with Red onion and Tomato Paste

OK - I am a bit embarrassed to have this recipe here as it is pretty tacky but it is quite good.  If you don't want to admit that you used brie, use taleggio.


1/2 lb pasta

olive oil for cooking

1/4 lb brie, rind removed, cut into pieces

1/2 red onion

2 tbsp tomato paste

 

1. Cook pasta

2. cook onions in olive oil until just starting to brown  

3. Drain olive oil 

4. Add tomato paste to onions, stir, add pasta, mix, add brie and mix continuously until melted.

5.  salt and pepper to taste, serve immediately - this needs to be eaten hot.

 

 Bachelor Pasta #3 - Smoked Salmon Cream Sauce

1/2 lb pasta

1/2 cup sliced smoked salmon

hot water

1/2 shallot, minced

1/2 tbsp butter

1/2 cup heavy cream 

 

1. cook pasta al dente

2. sautee shallot in butter until translucent

3. Add  cream, reduce by 1/3

4. Cook pasta in sauce 1 minute

5. add salmon, correct for salt and pepper 

6. serve


 Bachelor Pasta #4 - Dried Porcini Cream Sauce

1/2 lb pasta

1/4 cup dried porcinis

hot water

1/2 shallot, minced

1/2 tbsp butter

1/2 cup heavy cream 

 

1. rehydrate porcinis in hot water (30 minutes), drain, reserve liquid

2. loosely chop porcinis

3. cook pasta al dente

4. sautee shallot in butter

5. Add  2 tbsp porcini liquid, cream, reduce by 1/2

6. add porcinis 

7. Cook pasta in sauce 1-2 minutes

8. Correct for salt and pepper - will need a lot of salt

9. serve 

 Bachelor Pasta #5 - Spinach with Soppresata

 

1/2 lb pasta

1/2 cup sauteed spinach, chopped

hot water

     6 slices soppresata, sliced thin in 1 inch pieces

  

1. cook pasta al dente

2. cook soppresata in olive oil, 1 minute, add spinach, cook 1 minute

3. Cook pasta in sauce 1 minute

4. Correct for salt and pepper

5. serve

 

Bachelor Pasta #6 - Spinach, Golden Raisins and Anchovies 

1/2 lb pasta

1/2 cup sauteed spinach, chopped

hot water

1/3 cup golden raisins, rehydrated in hot water for 5 minutes


3 anchovy fillets, minced 

  

1. cook pasta al dente

2. cook anchovies in olive oil, 1 minute, add spinach and raisins, cook 1 minute

3. Cook pasta in sauce 1 minute

4. Correct for salt and pepper

5. serve

 

 Pasta with Leek Cream Sauce  

1/2 lb pasta

2/3 cup sauteed leeks - any part will do - I have used leftover green parts for this dish

hot water

1 tbsp leeks

1/2 cup heavy cream 

 

1. cook pasta al dente

2. sautee leek in butter

3. Add  cream, reduce by 1/2

4. Cook pasta in sauce 1-2 minutes

5. Correct for salt and pepper - will need a lot of salt

6. serve

  

Pasta with Sea Urchin Sauce  

 

1/2 lb pasta

     1 package sea urchin, urchins cut in 1/4s

hot water

1/2 shallot, minced

12 cherry tomatoes, cut in 18ths

 olive oil

1/2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped

 

1. cook pasta al dente

2. sautee shallot in olive oil

3. add tomatoes, cook 10 minutes until mushy


4. Cook pasta in sauce 1-2 minutes

5. Add sea urchin, parsley, blend 

6. Correct for salt and pepper 

7. serve



Pasta a la Rughetta

 

1/2 lb pasta

     hot water

6 cherry tomatoes, cut in 18ths

extra virgin olive oil

1/2 8 oz ball fresh mozzarella, coarsely chopped

20 arugula leaves, cut in 1/4s

 

1. cook pasta al dente

2. add tomatoes, EVO, arugula, mozzarella, stir 1-2 minutes until incorporated



3. serve

Pasta with Cooked Mozzarella

This is a riff on an old sicilian recipe (which uses eggplant, which I don't really like).  This recipe pretty much cooks the mozzarella into the sauce, causing it to release liquid, which flavors the sauce and makes it creamy.  It is pretty addictive.

 

1/2 8 oz ball fresh mozzarella, chopped - must be fresh, no polly-o

1 cup crushed tomatoes

1/4 onion, sliced thin in 1 inch slices

5 basil leave, julienned

olive oil


1/2 lb tubular pasta (small rigatoni or maccheroni works well)


salt and pepper

 

1. cook pasta al dente

2. sautee onion in olive oil until translucent

3. cook tomatoes in olive oil, 5 minutes

4. add pasta 

5. add mozzarella

6. stir continuously until mozzarella in incorporated (2 minutes)

7. correct with salt and pepper, add basil and serve immediately


Pasta with Sausage and Peppers

This is hardly an innovative concept here.  Honestly, I think that my version is the best I have had.  I have applied good technique to this recipe.  It is adult candy when properly done.

 

8 sweet Italian sausages - I like plenty of fennel in them

3 sweet peppers (I like a mix of yellow and red) sliced in 1/4 inch thick slices

1 sweet onion,  sliced in 1/4 inch thick slices

1 can chopped tomatoes

2 tbsp chopped parsley

olive oil

pasta (1.5 pounds for this amount of sauce)

salt and pepper

fennel powder (optional)  

grated pecorino romano 

 

1.  heat olive oil over medium high heat.

2. prick and then sautee sausages on 2 sides until brown (in batches).

3. remove sausages from heat, cut in half and dust with fennel powder.

4. brown uncooked sides of sausages.  This is a key step as it maximizes browning and flavor.

5. Cook onions in oil until they start to brown

6. Cook peppers in oil until they start to brown

7. Add tomatoes and deglaze 

8. Add parsley

9. Cook 1 hour in over at 400 degrees.

10 cook pasta al dente, finish in sauce 1-2 minutes, serve with grated cheese.

 

Pasta Sowinski

I have named this after our favorite vegetable purveyor at the farmer's market in Irvine.  He sells a Kale that is stunning.  This is an odd dish that has very intense flavors.

 

1/2 cooked Kale from John Sowinski, chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

2 garlic cloves cooked while roasting a chicken, minced

2 tbsp chicken drippings

pasta (0.25 pounds for this amount of sauce)

 

1.  cook pasta in salted water

2. add minced garlic, chopped kale, drippings and olive oil with 2 tbsp of pasta cooking oil to saucepan.

3.  add pasta to  saucepan, cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly

4. serve

Orecchiette with Zucchini and Feta 

 This sounds wierd but is really good.


4 baby zucchinis, sliced thin

1/5 pound French Feta (French Feta is creamier and less salty)

olive oil

4 garlic cloves

1/3 lb orecchiette

pepper


1. sautee garlic in olive oil until brown (tilt the pan)

2. remove from pan, crush and mince

3. cook orecchiette in salted water

4. slice zucchini in olive oil until brown

5. add garlic, feta, pasta and zucchini, mix until feta is dissolved

6. serve



Other Pasta Dishes I Like  

Fettucine in lamb ragu

Fettucine bolognese

Fettucine Alfredo

Pasta Carbonara

Orechiette with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe 

Penne a la vodka

Tortelli a la erbetta