Cooking For Friends Part 3

14 ounces dried farfalle 2 tablespoons olive oil 5 ounces thick-sliced lean bacon, chopped 1 large garlic clove, minced 1 cups heavy cream 1 cup green peas, thawed if frozen 2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for sprinkling cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for sprinkling small handful each of fresh sage and flat-leaf parsley, leaves only

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Tip in the farfalle and cook according to the package directions until the pasta is al dente.

Heat the oil in large saucepan and add the bacon. Fry over high heat until the bacon is golden brown, 34 minutes. Add the garlic and fry for a minute. Pour in the cream and bring to a boil. Let simmer until reduced and thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. Tip in the peas, bring back to a simmer, and cook for 34 minutes longer. Stir the grated Parmesan into the sauce, then taste and adjust the seasoning.

When the pasta is ready, drain it in a colander and immediately tip into the sauce. Add the herbs and toss the pasta until well coated with the creamy sauce. Divide among warm plates and sprinkle with a little more Parmesan before serving.

Fresh tagliatelle with Stilton and mushrooms Tana likes to make this toward year end, using leftover Stilton from Christmas. Of course, you can use any blue cheese: Piquant Roquefort, savory Dolcelatte, or creamy Gorgonzola would all work well.

SERVES 6 6.

2 tablespoons b.u.t.ter 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced (about 3 cups) cup heavy cream 1 pound fresh tagliatelle 4 ounces Stilton, chopped or crumbled handful each of fresh oregano and flat-leaf parsley, leaves chopped

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. In the meantime, melt the b.u.t.ter in a wide saute pan. When it begins to foam, add the mushrooms and some seasoning. Fry over high heat, tossing occasionally, until the mushrooms are golden brown and tender. Add the cream and reduce the heat.

Cook the tagliatelle in the boiling water until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 45 tablespoons of the water in the pot. Return the tagliatelle to the pot and tip in the mushrooms and cream. Add three-quarters of the Stilton and half of the chopped herbs, then toss until the pasta is evenly coated with the melting cheese and mushroom sauce.

Divide among individual serving plates and scatter the remaining Stilton and herbs over the top. Serve at once.

Grilled vegetable lasagne Food like this is far too good to reserve just for vegetarians. If you have time, make the tomato sauce the day before to let the flavors balance out.

SERVES 46 46 10 ounces fresh lasagne sheets (about 12) cup freshly grated Parmesan 3 buffalo mozzarella, 5 ounces each, thinly sliced small handful of fresh basil, leaves only Tomato and basil sauce: 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 onion, chopped 2 celery ribs, chopped 1 carrot, finely diced 2 garlic cloves, minced leaves stripped from a sprig of fresh thyme 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes in juice 1 teaspoon sugar (optional) small handful of fresh basil, leaves torn Grilled vegetables: 1 small eggplant 1 large zucchini 1 yellow crookneck squash olive oil for drizzling leaves stripped from a few sprigs of fresh thyme sprig of fresh rosemary, leaves chopped 1 yellow bell pepper 1 red bell pepper

First, make the tomato sauce. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, carrot, garlic, and thyme with some salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are soft, 68 minutes. Tip in the tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly, about 30 minutes. Taste and add sugar if the sauce seem acidic. Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables. Trim the eggplant, zucchini, and squash, then slice into -inch rounds. Drizzle with olive oil and season. Toss with the herbs. Cook in batches on a hot grill pan until tender and lightly charred, 23 minutes on each side. Transfer to a large bowl.

Preheat the broiler to hot. Cut the bell peppers in half and place them cut-side down on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Broil until well charred, 1015 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly before peeling off the skins and discarding the seeds. Cut the flesh into wedges and add to the bowl of grilled vegetables.

When the tomato sauce is ready, add the basil. Transfer to a food processor and blitz until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Tip into a bowl and let cool.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Spoon a thin layer of tomato sauce over the bottom of a deep baking dish. Put two sheets of lasagne on top, then sprinkle with a little Parmesan. Arrange a layer of grilled vegetables on the pasta, followed by a layer of mozzarella. Add another layer of tomato sauce. Repeat the layers until you reach the top of the dish. You want to finish with a layer of lasagne sheets spread generously with tomato sauce, topped with a final layer of mozzarella cheese and a sprinkling of Parmesan. Bake until the cheese topping is golden brown and the sauce is bubbling around the sides, 3040 minutes.

Conchiglie with meaty tomato ragu This is my version of a pasta bolognese. I prefer to use conchiglie, because their sh.e.l.l shape holds more of the flavorful sauce than spaghetti does. Meat ragu freezes well and makes an ideal prepare-ahead supper.

SERVES 4 4.

Ragu: 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 large onion, minced 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 celery rib, minced 1 carrot, minced leaves stripped from a sprig of fresh thyme 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary 1 pound lean ground beef 2/3 cup dry white wine cup dry white wine 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes in juice 1 cups chicken stock (see Chapter 9) or water pinch of sugar (optional) Pasta: 14 ounces dried conchiglie large handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley and oregano, chopped freshly grated Parmesan for serving

Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large, heavy-based pan until hot. Add the onion and some seasoning. Fry over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the onion begins to soften, 68 minutes. Tip in the garlic, celery, carrot, and herbs. Saute over high heat until the vegetables are lightly golden, 34 minutes.

Add the remaining oil and the beef. Stir well, pressing down on the beef to break it up. Season again and continue to stir over high heat until the beef is no longer red. Pour in the wine and let it boil vigorously until almost all evaporated and the pan is quite dry.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the tomatoes and stock. Stir well to mix. When the liquid in the pan begins to boil, turn the heat to the lowest setting and partially cover the pan. Cook gently for 23 hours, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding a pinch of sugar, if necessary, to balance the acidity of the tomatoes.

About 15 minutes before you are ready to serve, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. As soon as the pasta is ready, drain it and immediately add to the hot ragu, stirring in the chopped herbs as well. Divide among warm plates and serve with a generous grating of black pepper and Parmesan.

Penne with baked pumpkin and rosemary There are two ways to serve this sauce: smooth or chunky. The texture depends both on your taste and on the firmness of the pumpkin flesh. Small pumpkins will have firmer flesh and a sweetness that will caramelize well on cooking.

SERVES 46 46 AS A FIRST COURSE OR LIGHT LUNCH AS A FIRST COURSE OR LIGHT LUNCH 1-pound wedge of pumpkin, skin on, seeds and fibers removed olive oil for drizzling 4 garlic cloves, skin on, halved leaves from a few sprigs of fresh rosemary few sprigs of fresh thyme 14 ounces dried penne cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus shavings for garnish

Heat the oven to 400F. Cut the pumpkin into thin wedges. Spread a little olive oil over the bottom of a roasting pan and sprinkle with some salt and pepper. Arrange the pumpkin in a single layer in the pan and drizzle generously with more olive oil. Scatter the garlic, herbs, and a little more seasoning over the pumpkin. Bake until the pumpkin is soft, 2025 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes. Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil.

Reserve the oil in the roasting pan (discard the herbs and garlic pulp). Remove the skin from the pumpkin and cut the flesh into small, bite-sized chunks. If making a smooth sauce, put the pumpkin and reserved oil into a food processor and blitz to a smooth puree. Transfer to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and let bubble until reduced to a consistency that will coat the pasta well.

Cook the penne according to package directions until al dente. Drain in a colander and return to the hot pot.

Add the pumpkin puree and grated Parmesan and toss well. If you've decided to leave the pumpkins in chunks, simply toss them and the reserved oil with the pasta and Parmesan. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Divide among individual plates and sprinkle each serving with a small handful of Parmesan shavings.

Spaghetti with broccoli, garlic, and chili I first tasted this pasta dish in Sicily, and it blew me away. Who would have thought a little garlic, chili pepper, and broccoli could make a delicious spaghetti sauce? The key is to flavor good-quality olive oil with the garlic and chili over lowish heat before you add the broccoli. You don't want the garlic to color too much or it will overpower the dish.

SERVES 4 4.

14 ounces dried spaghetti cup olive oil 5 large garlic cloves, finely sliced 1 fresh, hot, red chili pepper, deseeded and minced 1 large head of broccoli, cut into small florets splash of water or chicken stock (see Chapter 9) squeeze of lemon juice, to taste extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package directions until al dente.

A few minutes before the pasta is ready, heat a large saute pan with the oil over low to medium heat. Add the garlic, chili pepper, and a pinch of salt and saute for a minute. When the garlic becomes sticky and very lightly golden around the edges, add the broccoli and a splash of water. Cover the pan and let steam for 2 minutes. Remove the lid, squeeze in the lemon juice, and toss the broccoli with a little more seasoning.

Drain the pasta and immediately tip into the saute pan, adding a little of the salted water from the pasta pot to help create a sauce. Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and check the seasoning. Divide among warm plates and serve at once.

Chorizo, fava bean, and mint couscous This makes a fantastic accompaniment to the red mullet with anchovy sauce on Chapter 3, or you can double the recipe to serve it on its own.

SERVES 4 4 AS A SIDE DISH AS A SIDE DISH.

11/3 cups couscous cups couscous 1/3 cup olive oil cup olive oil 2 large shallots, minced teaspoon ground c.u.min teaspoon ground coriander pinch of paprika 7 ounces fresh chorizo sausage, skin removed and chopped 8 ounces blanched and skinned fava beans (about 11/3 cups) cups) large handful of fresh mint, leaves chopped

Place the couscous and a generous seasoning of salt and pepper in a large heatproof bowl. Stir to mix, then pour 1 cups boiling water evenly over the couscous. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand for 1015 minutes.

Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the shallots and spices. Cook, stirring frequently, until the shallots are soft, 68 minutes. Add the chorizo and fry until cooked, 34 minutes. Stir in the fava beans and cook until they are warmed through, 12 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.