PENNE RIGATE ALL’ARRABBIATA

4 Servings
Preparation: 30 minutes
Cooking: 11 minutes

     

INGREDIENT
10.5 oz. (300 g) penne
rigate or tortiglioni
1 1/2 lb. (600 g) peeled,
diced tomatoes
2 tbsp. (30 ml) extravirgin
olive oil
0.7 oz. (20 g) fresh
parsley, chopped
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 red chile, fresh or dried
salt

HOW TO COOK
Bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil.
Using kitchen gloves, slice the chili, if fresh, or crumble it, if dried.
In a large skillet, heat the oil until hot.
Add the garlic and chile and cook until browned, taking care that they don’t darken too much.
Add the tomatoes, season with salt, and cook over a high heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Cook the pasta in the boiling water until al dente.
Drain, combine with the sauce, and serve garnished with the parsley.

PENNE LISCE WITH SQUASH AND PANCETTA

4 Servings
Preparation: 30 minutes
Cooking: 8 minutes

     

INGREDIENT
10.5 oz. (300 g) penne
lisce or farfalle
1 1/2 lb. (650 g) butternut squash, peeled and cut into small dice
7 oz. (200 g) pancetta, thinly sliced
2 oz. (50 g) yellow onion, chopped
1 3/4 tbsp. (25 g) unsalted
butter
fresh thyme
salt and pepper

HOW TO COOK PENNE LISCE WITH SQUASH AND PANCETTA
Heat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Spread the pancetta on a baking sheet and bake until crunchy, about 15 minutes. Put half of the squash, the onion, and a pinch of salt in a saucepan. Fill with enough water to cover, bring to a boil, and cook until the squash is tender. Drain, transfer to a blender, and puree until smooth. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the thyme and cook, stirring, until fragrant. Add the remaining squash, season with salt and pepper, and continue to cook until tender. Add the pureed squash mixture and heat through. Bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta in the boiling water until al dente. Drain the pasta, add it to the sauce, and cook briefly to combine. Transfer the pasta to pasta dishes, garnish with the pancetta, and serve.

 

CREAMY TINAPANG BANGUS PASTA

Serves 3 to 4 Prep Time 5 minutes
Cooking Time 15 minutes

300 to 400 grams linguine, or your favorite long pasta
1 boneless tinapang bangus (smoked milkfish), about 500 grams
olive oil, for sautéing
1 medium white onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
500 ml cream
sea salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, plus extra for garnish zest from one lemon
1/2 to 1 cup reserved pasta water, or as needed

1. Prepare pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 to 1 cup pasta water. Set aside noodles and pasta water.

2. Meanwhile, remove all the meat of the bangus from the skin, making sure that there are no remaining bones. Roughly flake the bangus meat.

3. Heat a frying pan or wok over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add a few swirls of olive oil.

4. Add onions and garlic. Sauté, stirring, until onions are soft and translucent. Add bangus and toss, sautéing until heated through. Add cream and stir to combine. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes or until the flavors have melded. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in dill and lemon zest.

5. If the sauce looks too thick, add pasta water, spoonful by spoonful, until desired consistency is reached. Taste for seasoning one last time, then remove from heat. 6 Serve on top of cooked pasta noodles or separately. Garnish with more fresh dill, if desired.

 

HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT TYPE OF PASTA FOR A SPECIFIC SAUCE

THE DILEMMA Tubes, twists, ribbons, shells, round, flat, short and long grocery shelves are packed with pasta in different shapes and sizes. How will you know which one to use for a certain dish?

WHAT TO DO Matching the right pasta shape to the right sauce certainly makes for a better dish. Here are a few simple tips to keep in mind. The versatile spaghetti can be matched with meaty tomato, creamy seafood, broth or oil-based dishes. Quick-cooking, delicate angel hair pasta is best paired with thin oil, tomato, or broth-based sauces.

Linguine and fettuccine pair well with creamy sauces that are medium to thick in consistency. Tube-shaped pastas like penne, rigatoni, and ziti work best with full-flavored sauces as the ridges allow them to retain sauces well. Try cream-based, chunky meat, or thick tomato sauces.

Jumbo shells, manicotti, and lasagna are known for their heartiness and solid consistency, so these are best stuffed or layered for baking. Remember to use a lot of sauce to provide enough moisture for the pasta to cook. Pair farfalle (bow tie pasta) with creamy sauces, or toss with olive oil, herbs, and finely diced vegetables. Elbow macaroni and fusilli are great for salads, and macaroni can also be used for everyone’s favorite sopas.