Everyday Italian_ 125 Simple and Delicious Recipes Part 23

Meanwhile, in a large saute pan, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. When almost smoking, add the shallots and saute until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until the garlic is golden brown and the shallots are translucent, about 3 minutes (being careful not to burn the garlic). Add the clams, wine, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, and teaspoon each of sea salt and pepper. Cover and simmer until most of the clams have opened, about 6 minutes (discard any sh.e.l.lfish that do not open). Whisk in the b.u.t.ter to thicken the sauce slightly.

Drain the spaghetti, reserving cup of the cooking liquid. Do not rinse the spaghetti with water; you want to retain the natural starches that help the sauce adhere to the spaghetti. Toss the spaghetti with the clam mixture in the pan to coat. Add enough of the reserved cooking liquid to moisten.

Transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl. Sprinkle the lemon zest over the pasta. Garnish with the remaining parsley and serve immediately.

Everyday INDULGENCES.

I'm not going to kid you: These dishes aren't for dieters. But richness has its place too, and nothing beats a perfectly cooked pasta dressed for elegance. So for that special meal, try indulging yourself with these recipes.

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PENNE a LA CARBONARA.

There's only one thing I can say about this dish: It's so so good you won't believe it. good you won't believe it.

4 MAIN-COURSE SERVINGS.

2.

tablespoons olive oil tablespoons olive oil

1.

pound pancetta, diced into 1-inch cubes pound pancetta, diced into 1-inch cubes .

teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

6.

large eggs, at room temperature large eggs, at room temperature .

cup heavy cream, at room temperature cup heavy cream, at room temperature 1.

cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese .

teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste

1.

pound dried penne pound dried penne

2.

tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

In a Large Saute pan, heat the oil over a medium flame. When almost smoking, add the pancetta and saute until golden brown and crispy, about 5 minutes. Stir in teaspoon of black pepper and remove the pan from the heat. heat the oil over a medium flame. When almost smoking, add the pancetta and saute until golden brown and crispy, about 5 minutes. Stir in teaspoon of black pepper and remove the pan from the heat.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs and cream. Stir in cup of the Parmesan cheese, teaspoon of sea salt, and teaspoon of pepper.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Do not rinse the pasta with water; you want to retain the pasta's natural starches that help the sauce adhere.

While the pasta is still hot, return it to the pot, and quickly toss with the browned pancetta, then the cream mixture. It's important to work quickly while the pasta is still hot so that the cream mixture will cook, but not curdle. Toss with the remaining cup of Parmesan cheese and the chopped parsley. Season the pasta with more salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the pasta to bowls and serve.

If you can't find pancetta, bacon is a good subst.i.tute.

FETTUCCINE ALFREDO.

This famous cream sauce is named after its creator, Alfredo Di Lelio, who made it for his wife when she lost her appet.i.te after the birth of their son. Alfredo's dish was made of egg-rich fettuccine, b.u.t.ter, and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and it became a hit in his restaurant (Alfredo's) in Rome. In 1927, two Hollywood movie stars also fell in love with it and brought the recipe back to the States. The dish had to be adapted because the b.u.t.ter and Parmesan that were available here weren't as rich as they were in Italy. So chefs added heavy cream. I've added my own twist with the addition of lemon juice and zest. Fresh pasta is a must, because dried pasta can't stand up to all the rich ingredients.

6 FIRST-COURSE SERVINGS.

1.

cups heavy cream cups heavy cream .

cup fresh lemon juice (from about 1 lemon) cup fresh lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)

6.

tablespoons unsalted b.u.t.ter tablespoons unsalted b.u.t.ter

1.

to 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (from about 1 lemon) to 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (from about 1 lemon)

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Salt

9.

ounces fresh fettuccine ounces fresh fettuccine

1.

cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese .

teaspoon freshly ground white pepper, plus more to taste teaspoon freshly ground white pepper, plus more to taste

In a Large, heavy skillet, stir 1 cup of the cream and the lemon juice to blend. Add the b.u.t.ter and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, just until the b.u.t.ter melts, about 3 minutes. Stir in the lemon zest and nutmeg. Remove from the heat. heavy skillet, stir 1 cup of the cream and the lemon juice to blend. Add the b.u.t.ter and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, just until the b.u.t.ter melts, about 3 minutes. Stir in the lemon zest and nutmeg. Remove from the heat.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fettuccine and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but still firm to the bite, about 4 minutes. Drain. Add the pasta, the remaining cup of cream, the Parmesan, and teaspoon each of salt and pepper to the cream sauce in the skillet. Toss over low heat until the sauce thickens slightly, about 1 minute. Season with more salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the pasta to wide, shallow serving bowls and serve immediately.

BAKED RIGATONI.

with Bechamel Sauce Traditionally, this rich dish is served as a main course, and as a kid that's the way I ate it. But it also works in our health-conscious world as a starter or a side with something fresher and lighter-say, grilled fish drizzled with lemon juice or grilled meat. A creamy, cheesy dish like this is just the thing to make you feel coddled, as if your dining room is the coziest spot on earth.

6 SIDE-DISH SERVINGS.

1.