BUCATINI WITH CHEESE AND PEPPER

4 Servings
Preparation: 10 minutes
Cooking: 6 minutes

12 oz. (350 g) bucatini
6 3/4 tbsp. (100 ml) extravirgin olive oil
7 oz. (200 g) Pecorino
Romano cheese, grated Coarsely ground black
pepper

Bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil.

Cook the bucatini in the boiling water until al dente.

Drain the pasta, return to the pot, and add the oil, Pecorino, and black pepper to taste; the amount can range from a light sprinkling to a generous handful.

Serve immediately.

 

BUCATINI alla Amatriciana

4 Servings
Preparation: 15 minutes
Cooking: 8-10 minutes

12 oz. (350 g) bucatini
6 oz. (150 g) guanciale or pancetta
14 oz. (400 g) ripe tomatoes
1 dried red chile, crumbled
scant 1/2 cup (40 g)
grated or shaved
Pecorino Romano
salt and pepper

Bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil.

Cut the guanciale or pancetta into slices, and then into rectangles.

Put in a skillet over low heat, add a very small amount of water, and simmer to render the fat.

Meanwhile, peel and seed the tomatoes and dice them.

Remove the guanciale or pancetta from the pan and drain thoroughly.

Add the tomatoes to the fat in the pan.

Season with the crumbled chile pepper and salt and pepper.

Return the guanciale or pancetta to the sauce in the pan and heat briefly.

Meanwhile, cook the bucatini in the boiling water until al dente.

Drain, combine well with the sauce, and serve.

 

NOODLES WITH SWORDFISH, CHERRY TOMATOES AND WILD FENNEL

4 Servings
Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking: 10 minutes

10 oz. (300 g) bavette or other thin ribbonshaped pasta
10 oz. (300 g) swordfish, cut into cubes
10 oz. (300 g) cherry tomatoes, cut in half
3 tbsp. (40 ml) extravirgin olive oil
1 clove garlic wild fennel or sprig of fresh dill
chile pepper, chopped
salt and pepper

Bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil.

In a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, heat a little of the olive oil until hot.

Add the swordfish and sear.

Season with salt, pepper, and the sprig of wild fennel or dill, previously washed and dried.

Pour the rest of the oil into another skillet.

Add the garlic clove and the chile and cook until the garlic is lightly browned.

Sprinkle half of the tomatoes with salt, add them to the skillet, and cook cook for another couple of minutes.

Add the fish.

While the sauce cooks, cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente.

Drain and add directly to the pan with the sauce.

Cook for a few seconds, and serve.

 

SEAFOOD PASTA

4 Servings
Preparation: 40 minutes
Cooking: 8 minutes

10 2/3 oz. (300 g) bavette or other thin ribbon-shaped pasta
14 oz. (400 g) mussels, scrubbed and debearded
14 oz. (400 g) clams, scrubbed and rinsed
4 small red mullet, gutted, filleted, and washed
4 shrimp, peeled (leave tail segment intact) and deveined
5 oz. (150g) cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters
1 cup (150 ml) white wine
1 clove garlic
1 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
1 bunch fresh basil
1 sprig fresh oregano
1/3 cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

Bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil.

Cook the bavette until al dente, and drain.

While the pasta cooks, roughly chop the oregano leaves and tear the basil by hand.

Heat the oil in a skillet with the garlic and parsley, and add the oregano and basil.

Add the mussels, clams, and white wine.

Cover with a lid and cook, removing the shellfish as they open and discarding any that don’t open.

Remove them from the saucepan, shell three-quarters of them, and transfer them to a bowl.

To the same skillet, add the red mullet, all of the shrimp, and the tomatoes.

Cook, stirring, for a few minutes; the sauce should still be fairly liquid.

Add the mussels and the clams.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer the cooked pasta to the skillet with the sauce, cook briefly to meld the flavors, and serve.

 

APPLE, CHICKEN AND TOASTED FOCACCIA SALAD

4 Servings
Preparation: 30 minutes
Cooking: 20 minutes

3 green apples, 2 diced and 1 thinly sliced for garnish
7 oz. (200 g) radicchio, thinly sliced
10 1/2 oz. (300 g) chicken breast
3 1/2 oz. (100 g) focaccia, cut into cubes
1/4 cup (20 g) sliced almonds
1/3 cup plus 1 1/2 tbsp. (100 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp.(20 ml) vinegar
salt and pepper

Heat the oven 350°F (180°C).

Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then drizzle
with olive oil.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes (alternatively, you can grill it). Let cool, then cut into cubes.

Spread the focaccia on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 5 minutes.

Put the radicchio in a bowl.

Dress with the olive oil and vinegar and season with salt and pepper.

Add the apples, chicken, focaccia and almonds.

Distribute the salad among individual bowls and garnish with the sliced apples.

Coconut Milk Couscous with Roasted Butternut Squash and Apples

Serves 6 | 30 minutes or fewer
New Orleans–based reader Kathleen Wiltz loves adding coconut milk to her cold-weather dishes for a bit of tropical fl air. To save time on this recipe, look for fresh butternut squash cubes in the refrigerated produce section of the supermarket.

2 cups cubed butternut squash
2 apples, cored and cubed
4 Tbs. butter, divided
3 Tbs. brown sugar
3 tsp. cinnamon, divided
1½ cups couscous
2½ cups coconut milk beverage, such as Silk
½ tsp. salt
½ cup golden raisins
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Place squash and apples in baking dish, and add 2½ Tbs. water.  Roast 15 minutes.

2. Melt 3 Tbs. butter with brown sugar and 2 tsp. cinnamon in small saucepan over medium heat. Stir into squash and apples, and roast 10 to 15 minutes more, or until tender.

3. Meanwhile, combine couscous with remaining 1 tsp. cinnamon in medium bowl.

4. Combine coconut milk, salt, and remaining 1 Tbs. butter in small saucepan, and bring to a boil. Pour over couscous, cover, and let sit 15 minutes, then stir in raisins. Divide  couscous among 6 plates, and top with squash and apples.

CHORIZO-STUFFED MUSHROOMS

Serves 8 to 10 
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cooking Time 20 minutes

500 grams fresh button mushrooms, washed well and patted dry with paper towels
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for pan-frying
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
1 piece good-quality Spanish chorizo (around 3 to 4 inches), finely chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
2 to 3 tablespoons salted butter
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

1. Slice off mushroom stems and set aside the caps. Finely chop stems. Set aside.

2. Heat olive oil in a sauté pan. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Add chopped mushroom stems and chorizo; cook until fat has rendered. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Lay mushroom caps on a platter and stuff each with the chorizo mixture. Drizzle with leftover oil from chorizo mixture.

4. Heat olive oil and butter in a frying pan. Working in batches, gently place stuffed mushrooms in the pan. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Sprinkle chopped parsley on top and serve warm.