SPAGHETTI OR BUCCATINI ALLA CARBONARA

I prefer this dish with pancetta, but If you are a purist, make it with guanciale (pork cheeks).  If you don't have pancetta, go ahead and make it with bacon.  Authentic spaghetti alla carbonara does not contain cream.  The creaminess comes from the eggs and cheese.  I used the eggs my friend, Sandi, gave me.  The yolks were the color of a beautiful sunset.  Grate the cheeses, slice the shallots and garlic first and set them aside on a cutting board. This was my son, Brandon’s, favorite.  Why go to a restaurant for this when you can make it to perfection at home?

3 oz pancetta, guanciale, or 4 strips bacon, chopped 

1 T olive oil or avocado oil

1 T unsalted butter

1 medium shallot, cut in half and thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, thinly sliced

¼ cup dry white wine

½ lb buccatini or spaghetti

1 whole egg and 1egg yolk

¼ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese   

¼ cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Freshly ground black pepper

½ t red pepper flakes

1 T chopped fresh basil

Thinly shaved Parmigiano or Pecorino cheese, for garnish

In a large skillet that is big enough to hold the cooked pasta, cook the pancetta,  guanciale, or bacon until crisp.

Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate.

Pour out all but 1 tablespoon of the fat, add the olive oil and butter; sauté the shallot for about 2 minutes.

Add the garlic and sauté another minute.

Add the wine and stir with a wooden spoon, scraping up the flavorful brown particles. 

Turn off the heat and set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the buccatini and cook 10 to 12 minutes, cook spaghetti 7 to 8 minutes, until al dente. 

Drain the pasta, but save some of the pasta water.

While the pasta is cooking, put the whole egg and egg yolk into a mixing bowl. 

Add half of the grated cheeses and season to taste with black pepper and red pepper flakes. Whisk until well combined. 

Return the skillet to low heat. 

Add the hot drained pasta to the pan and toss for a couple of minutes to incorporate.

Remove the skillet from the burner and pour the egg-cheese mixture onto the pasta, tossing quickly and thoroughly, which will gently cook the eggs using the heat of the pasta, but not scramble them.

Return the skillet to low heat, add bacon and toss another minute.

Add some of the reserved pasta water to thin the sauce.

Add a little more grated cheese, the chopped basil, and serve.

Serves 2

 

FOUR CHEESE STUFFED PASTA SHELLS

This is another classic Italian-American pasta dish. Jumbo shells are usually found in boxes, in the pasta aisle of your grocery store. My kids loved this dish growing up. You can also add some fresh chopped spinach to the cheese filling if you wish.

Tomato Sauce

2 T olive oil 

1 small yellow onion, diced

½ t red pepper flakes 

2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

2 cans (28 oz) whole peeled Italian tomatoes 

2 T tomato paste

1 T chopped fresh basil

½ cup Pinot Grigio or other dry white wine

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Four Cheese Filling

16 oz container whole milk ricotta cheese

8 oz fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into small pieces, saving half for topping shells

½ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese

½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1 large egg, beaten

¼ cup minced Italian parsley

2 T minced fresh basil

¼ t grated nutmeg

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 lb jumbo pasta shells

Chopped fresh basil leaves, for garnish

Grated cheese, for serving

In a large saucepan over medium heat, add the oil and sauté the onion and red pepper flakes for 5 minutes, or until translucent. Add the garlic and sauté another minute.

Pour tomatoes into a large bowl and hand-crush them, removing any hard center cores.
Alternatively, use an immersion blender to chop the tomatoes.

To the saucepan add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, and wine.
Season to taste with salt and pepper and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile in a bowl, mix together the Four Cheese Filling and set aside.

Boil the pasta shells in a large pot of salted water, for about 8 minutes.
Gently remove the shells to a bowl with ice-cold water, then gently pour into a colander and let drain. Try not to tear the shells.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Using a tablespoon, spoon a generous amount of filling into each shell and set aside on a platter or pizza pan.

When the sauce is finished simmering, spoon a ladle or two into the bottom of a baking dish or two smaller baking dishes.
Arrange the shells in the baking dish and add a small piece of mozzarella on top of each.
Cover with aluminum foil sprayed with oil and bake 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 5 to 7 minutes.
One baking dish can be frozen, if using two, before baking for another dinner.

To Serve:
Spoon a ladle of hot tomato sauce into each warm pasta bowl. Add 4 to 5 stuffed shells and sprinkle with grated cheese and garnish with basil.

Serves 4 to 6

CASA FRITTATA WITH RICOTTA, FONTINA, PARMIGIANO, & MUSHROOMS

The French have the omelette, the Spanish have the tortilla de patata, and the Italians have the frittata (frittate, plural in the Italian language). A Frittata is an egg dish that can be served for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, or a midnight snack. Make it your own frittata by substituting a few of the ingredients with a few of your own favorites. Be creative!

3-oz packet pancetta, diced

10 cremini or white mushrooms, wiped clean and sliced

2 olive oil or avocado oil

3 to 4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

½ large red bell pepper, diced

1 large shallot, cut in half and thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

4 T unsalted butter

10 large eggs

1 ½ cups whole milk ricotta cheese

¼ cup whole milk or half-and-half

½ cup grated fontina cheese

½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

2 T chopped fresh basil leaves, divided

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In 12-inch ovenproof non-stick skillet, cook the pancetta over medium heat until crisp.

Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside in a bowl.

Add the mushrooms and cook over medium heat until the mushrooms are golden brown, about 12 to 15 minutes, stirring often.

Remove mushrooms to the bowl with the pancetta or bacon.

Add the potatoes to the skillet, cover, and cook, for 10 minutes, stirring a couple of times.

Remove lid, raise heat to medium, and cook potatoes another 3 to 5 minutes until golden and crisp.

Lower the heat, add the bell pepper and shallot.

Cook another 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook another minute.

Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the eggs, then stir in the ricotta, fontina, Parmigiano, and basil.

Season to taste with salt and pepper

Return the mushrooms and pancetta to the skillet, add the butter and let melt.

Adjust heat to low and add the beaten egg mixture.

Gently stir to combine ingredients

Place the skillet in the center of the oven and bake the frittata until it is golden brown, about 30 minutes.

The frittata should be mostly firm in the middle, but don't cook until center is dry.

Cut into 8 to 10 wedges and serve immediately.

Serves 8 to 10