Punch up pasta with variety

  • Tuesday, April 13, 2004 9:00pm
  • Life

Many of the scientists, physicians, chefs and other pasta experts at the Rome conference emphasized that pasta is a healthful food — in appropriate portion sizes.

And it’s even better, they said, if the pasta is eaten with some of its traditional accompaniments such as olive oil, tomatoes and other vegetables, moderate amounts of protein, beans, legumes and nuts.

Here are some of the recipes included in the conference materials. This frugal pasta dish is a staple in the south of Italy.

Pasta with garlic and oil

16ounces dried spaghetti or bucatini

Salt to taste

5medium to large cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

1/2cup extra-virgin olive oil, or to taste

1small chili pepper, seeded and finely chopped (optional)

8tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Cook the pasta in plenty of rapidly boiling salted water until al dente.

Meanwhile, using the flat side of a chef’s knife, crush and finely chop the garlic. Place the garlic and the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook just until slightly colored. Add salt and, if desired, chopped chili pepper to taste.

Drain the pasta, add to the skillet and toss gently to coat. Add the parsley and toss again. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings. Per serving: 426 calories, 10 gm protein, 58 gm carbohydrates, 17 gm fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 2 gm saturated fat, 12 mg sodium, 2 gm dietary fiber.

From "Claudia Roden’s the Food of Italy, Region by Region"

Fresh basil, garlic and olive oil do amazing things to jarred tomatoes.

This pasta dish has a fresh, clean tomato taste. It is named for the mule-driven carts that carried produce from the countryside to Rome and comes in many variations.

Pushcart-style spaghetti

128-ounce can peeled Italian plum tomatoes in puree or seeded and chopped, with their juices

1cup firmly packed fresh basil leaves, finely chopped (about 2 ounces)

3large or 5 medium-size cloves garlic, finely chopped

5tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

1pound dried spaghetti

Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese to taste

In a skillet over medium heat, bring the tomatoes, basil, garlic and 3 tablespoons of the oil to a simmer and cook until the tomatoes reach a saucelike consistency, or to the desired consistency, at least 25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in plenty of rapidly boiling salted water until al dente.

Pour the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a heatproof bowl heated in a 200-degree oven. Drain the pasta and toss it with the heated oil. Pour the sauce over the top and toss gently to coat. Serve immediately. Pass the cheese on the side.

Makes 6 servings. Per serving: 393 calories, 12 gm protein, 62 gm carbohydrates, 10 gm fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 1 gm saturated fat, 85 mg sodium, 3 gm dietary fiber.

From "Pasta Classica" by Julia della Croce

The size of the pasta is important for this recipe. Orecchiette (oh-rayk-kee-EHT-tay) is Italian for "little ears," and these small, disk-shaped pastas cook in boiling water in about 12 minutes, almost the same time as the cut-up pieces and leaves of the pungent, bitter raab.

The pasta emerges from the water al dente and the raab a brilliant green.

Orecchiette with broccoli raab

1/4- 1/3cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional to taste

2cloves garlic, minced

6anchovy fillets in oil, patted dry and coarsely chopped

1small dried hot red chili pepper, coarsely chopped, or 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1pound (1 large bunch ) broccoli raab

1pound orecchiette pasta

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place 1/4 cup of the oil and the garlic in a large skillet over medium heat and heat just until the garlic softens and begins to change color. Do not let the garlic turn brown. Add the anchovies and cook, using the back of a fork to crush the anchovies and make a coarse paste.

When all of the anchovy fillets are mashed into the oil, add the hot chili pepper and stir to combine. Set aside in a warm place until ready to use.

Clean the broccoli raab, discarding any yellow, old or tough outer leaves and the thick stems. Coarsely chop the leaves and thinner stems, leaving the flower clusters intact.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the broccoli raab and the pasta, and boil, uncovered, for 12 to 15 minutes, until the pasta is al dente. Transfer the mixture to a colander to drain. Transfer to a heated bowl and toss gently with the anchovy-garlic sauce. (Or, if the pan in which the sauce cooked is large enough, turn the drained raab and pasta into the sauce and cook briefly, just long enough to infuse the pasta with the flavors of the sauce.) Taste and season with salt and black pepper and, if desired, additional oil (the anchovies may give it sufficient salt). Serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings. Per serving: 375 calories, 13 gm protein, 62 gm carbohydrates, 9 gm fat, 3 mg cholesterol, 1 gm saturated fat, 173 mg sodium, 4 gm dietary fiber.

From "Flavors of Puglia" by Nancy Harmon Jenkins

The dish can be — in fact, must be — made largely ahead of time. Setting the ingredients aside for several hours infuses the oil with the sweet flavor of pine nuts.

Cookbook author Susan Herrmann Loomis refers to this as a "wonderfully simple recipe … that was born of the poverty in Tuscany where all they had was lemons, olive oil and pine nuts to eat with their pasta."

Lemon and pine nut tagliatelle

1/2cup pine nuts

1cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

1/2cup extra-virgin olive oil

Zest of 2 lemons, cut into thin strips

Fine sea salt to taste

1 3/4pounds fresh tagliatelle

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1lemon, cut into 6 wedges (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Scatter the pine nuts on a baking sheet and transfer to the oven until lightly toasted, 3 to 5 minutes. Check the nuts often as they can burn in an instant! Set aside to cool slightly.

Mince the parsley and place it in a large shallow bowl. Add the oil, lemon zest and toasted pine nuts and mix well. Season with salt, cover and set aside for at least 2 hours at room temperature.

Cook the pasta in plenty of rapidly boiling salted water until al dente, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water.

Immediately add the hot pasta along with the 1/2 cup cooking water to the lemon zest-pine nut mixture and toss gently to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste and toss again.

To serve, use 2 spoons to carefully scoop up the pasta, making sure to get some pine nuts with each serving. (The pine nuts tend to gravitate to the bottom of the bowl. After the pasta is served, spoon the remaining pine nuts over each serving.) If desired, place a lemon wedge on each serving.

Makes 8 servings. Per serving: 525 calories, 15 gm protein, 76 gm carbohydrates, 18 gm fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 2 gm saturated fat, 64 mg sodium, 3 gm dietary fiber.

From "Italian Farmhouse Cookbook"

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

Everett P. Fog, 15, in front of an Everett mural along Colby Avenue on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Hello, Everett! No escape when your name is same as the town

Everett P. Fog, 15, sees and hears his first name wherever he goes. His middle name is also epic.

Jared Meads takes a breath after dunking in an ice bath in his back yard while his son Fallen, 5, reads off the water temperature on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Chill out: Dive into the cold plunge craze

Plungers say they get mental clarity and relief for ails in icy water in tubs, troughs and clubs.

Schack exhibit to highlight Camano Island watercolorists

“Four Decades of Friendship: John Ebner & John Ringen” will be on display Jan. 16 through Feb. 9.

XRT Trim Adds Rugged Features Designed For Light Off-Roading
Hyundai Introduces Smarter, More Capable Tucson Compact SUV For 2025

Innovative New Convenience And Safety Features Add Value

Sequoia photo provided by Toyota USA Newsroom
If Big Is Better, 2024 Toyota Sequoia Is Best

4WD Pro Hybrid With 3-Rows Elevates Full-Size

2025 Toyota Land Cruiser (Provided by Toyota).
2025 Toyota Land Cruiser revives its roots

After a 3-year hiatus, the go-anywhere SUV returns with a more adventurous vibe.

Enjoy the wilderness in the CX-50. Photo provided by Mazda USA Newsroom
2025 Mazda CX-50 Adds Hybrid Capability to Turbo Options

Line-Up Receives More Robust List Of Standard Equipment

Practical And Functional bZ4X basks in sunshine. Photo provided by Toyota Newsroom.
2024 bZ4X Puts Toyota Twist On All-Electric SUV’s

Modern Styling, Tech & All-Wheel Drive Highlight

Photo provided by Mazda USA Newsroom
2025 Mazda3 Turbo Premium Plus Hatch Delivers Value

Plus Functionality of AWD And G-Vectoring

2025 Mazda CX-90 Turbo SUV (Provided by Mazda)
2025 CX-90 Turbo models get Mazda’s most powerful engine

Mazda’s largest-ever SUV is equipped to handle the weight, with fuel efficiency kept in check.

Provided by Bridges Pets, Gifts, & Water Gardens.
Discover where to find the best pet supplies in town

Need the perfect store to spoil your furry friends? Herald readers have you covered.

VW Jetta SEL is a sedan that passes for a coupe. Photo provided by Volkswagen U.S. Media.
2025 VW Jetta Offers Greater Refinement, Technology And Value

A Perfect Choice For Small Families And Commuters

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.