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"
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