Leite's Culinaria» pasta and grains

Rigatoni with Artichokes, Garlic, and Olives

Gino D'Acampo — Tue, 08 May 2012 14:00:43 +0000

Pasta Italiana | Kyle Books, 2012 | Serves 4

I have always found artichokes a little bit like Marmite—you love them or you hate them! In my case, I absolutely adore them. If you have never tried them, please have a go at this pasta dish—you won’t be disappointed.

Never ever buy artichokes that are preserved in brine because they aren’t worth eating.–Gino D’Acampo

LC Simple Is As Pasta Does Note: Simple is as simple does…or, in this case, simple is as pasta does, given how a handful of ingredients can come together so well. Subtly, but well. What that means is that each ingredient essentially and effectively has the potential to throw the delicate balance out of wonk if not carefully chosen. Although it’s tweakable to your palate’s content, what we find what works best here are artichokes tinned straight-up in oil, no potpourri-like dried herbs included. Err on the side of using less pasta so as to maximize the lovely sauce. And if you have everything in your pantry except that orange, don’t hesitate to use lemon in its place, as we hear it works without anything seeming amiss. And if you like things with a little zing, shave a little Parmigiano-Reggiano over the pasta at the end. We’re also wondering how some nice, plump, mild Cerignolas would be in place of Kalamatas, but that will have to wait for another day.

Active time: 20 minutes | Total time: 30 minutes

Rigatoni with Artichokes, Garlic, and Olives Recipe

Ingredients

| metric conversion

12 to 16 ounces rigatoni
2 tablespoons salted butter
6 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved
6 artichoke hearts in oil, drained and cut into quarters
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon dry white wine
Finely grated zest of 1/2 orange (or, if you prefer, the zest of a small lemon)
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Parmigiano-Reggiano (optional)

Directions

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1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet or wok, melt the butter in the pool of oil. Add the garlic, rosemary, olives, and artichokes and sauté over medium heat for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Pour in the wine and cook until the liquid all but evaporates, or rather reduces quite a lot, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the orange zest to the artichoke concoction, season quite generously with the salt and pepper, and toss. Remove from the heat.
4. Drain the pasta and add to the artichoke mixture. Place the pan over medium-high heat and toss again for 30 seconds or so to evenly coat the pasta. Taste and, if desired, season with more pepper. Pile the pasta on plates, spooning any artichoke mixture that remains in the skillet over the top. Shave some Parmigiano-Reggiano over the pasta, if you please.

Hungry for more? Chow down on these:

Baked Artichoke Squares from Shutterbean
Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Goat Cheese Rigatoni from Inspired Taste
Gnocchetti with Pancetta, Chanterelles, and Mint from Leite's Culinaria
Spaghetti with Wild Garlic and Herbs from Leite's Culinaria

Pasta Soup with Potatoes and Pancetta

Gino D'Acampo — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 14:00:48 +0000

Pasta Italiana | Kyle Books, 2012 | Serves 6

Many people would never associate pasta and potato, but in this case you’re really going to have to trust me. This recipe has been in my family for more than 50 years, and considering that so far there have been two chefs in the family, it must be fantastico! Make sure you use a mealy potato like a Russet. [Editor's Note: The word "mealy" may have uncouth associations in some circles, although it's actually quite coveted in this recipe, given how the mealiness lends a lot to the hearty, stew-like consistency of this soup.]–Gino D’Acampo

LC Like Bacon for Pancetta? Note: We’ve a wee caveat to share with anyone tempted to substitute bacon for pancetta in this pantry-minded recipe. While that swap works in some recipes, we don’t encourage trying it here. Pancetta’s sturdy texture and meatiness handily withstand being simmered in this soupy stew without becoming limpid and soggy. Sadly, the same can’t be said about bacon, which turns flabby. Save it for frying up in a pan.

Active time: 25 minutes | Total time: 45 minutes

Pasta Soup with Potatoes, Pancetta and Leeks Recipe

Ingredients

| metric conversion

6 tablespoons olive oil
1 large leek, washed and finely chopped
9 ounces pancetta, diced
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
14 ounces (2 small potatoes or 1 very large one) mealy potatoes, such as russets, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 quarts (8 cups) hot vegetable stock (or substitute chicken, beef or duck stock)
3 tablespoons canned chopped tomatoes, drained, or more to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 1/4 cups (9 ounces) farfalline or another soup pasta (or even spaghetti, broken into bits)
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

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1. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the leek and pancetta for about 3 minutes. Add the carrot and potato and cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, for another 2 minutes.
2. Pour in the stock, lower the heat, and simmer gently, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
3. Add the chopped tomatoes and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the pasta and continue to cook over low heat, uncovered, stirring every 2 minutes, until the pasta is al dente, about 6 minutes.
4. When the pasta is cooked to your liking, remove the pan of soup from the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese. Immediately ladle the soup into bowls.

Hungry for more? Chow down on these:

Roasted Potato Leek Soup with Kale from Not Eating Out in New York
Mediterranean Chicken, Bean & Pasta Soup from Cookin' Canuck
Ribollita in the Style of Siena from Leite's Culinaria
Leek and Potato Soup with Bacon from Leite's Culinaria

Lemon and Thyme Risotto

Richard Bertinet — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 14:00:11 +0000

Cook: In a Class of Your Own | Kyle Books, 2010 | Serves 4

I actually think that making risotto is easier than boiling rice in water. There’s an idea that risotto is complicated, because you need to stand over the pan and stir, but think about it: if you are watching it all the time, you have much less chance of ruining it, whereas when rice is boiling, it’s easy to forget the time and then it turns to rice pudding.

The basic technique of making a risotto recipe always remains the same, but there are several different ways of finishing it. The classic way is to beat in butter and Parmesan, but I have seen chefs use olive oil, mascarpone—I even saw one French chef use Brie de Meaux. The principle is that you want something creamy but quite neutral tasting, to bind all the ingredients together at the end. The combination I use here of egg and Parmesan is rather like that of carbonara, except that it is tangy with lemon. I love the flavor of this risotto. It’s very fragrant and refreshing. It can be a meal in itself, or you can serve it alongside meat or fish.–Richard Bertinet

LC He’s Got a Good Point Note: How many times have you soaked and scrubbed a pot, then soaked and scrubbed it again, and then scrubbed it one more time because it’d been debilitated by a layer of blackened, burnt-on rice? Happens to us each and every time we turn our back on a pot of rice. And that’s exactly the author’s point about why making risotto is, in a very real way, easier than boiling rice. And lest you think lemon and thyme relegate this risotto squarely in the spring category, don’t hang up your risotto pan just yet. These flavors complement summer and fall fare as well.

Active time: 30 minutes | Total time: 30 minutes

Lemon and Thyme Risotto Recipe

Ingredients

| metric conversion

1 large onion
2 egg yolks
3 ounces Parmesan
2 smallish lemons, preferably organic
Bunch of fresh thyme
1 1/2 quarts (6 cups) vegetable stock
4 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
14 ounces risotto rice, such as Arborio, Carnaroli, Vialone Nano, or the like
1/4 bottle white wine

Directions

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1. To prepare the risotto, chop the onion into small dice—you want the onion to disappear into the risotto, so don’t make the pieces too big. Place the egg yolks in a bowl. Grate the Parmesan. Zest the lemons and squeeze the juice. Reserve a few strips of lemon zest for the garnish. Pick the thyme leaves from their stalks, but leave a couple of sprigs whole for the garnish. Place your pan of stock onto the stove, bring to a boil, and then turn down to a simmer.
2. Place the butter, oil, onion, and a pinch of salt in a wide pan over medium heat. Cook the onion very gently for about 4 to 5 minutes, until soft but not colored. It is really important with a risotto not to brown and burn your onion. This is a delicately flavored dish and the bitterness of burned onion will flavor the whole thing. (Keeping the onion in the center of the pan, rather than spreading it out, runs less risk of scorching. Placing it in a cold pan, without heating the oil first, also helps.)
3. When the onion is soft, add the rice and stir very well to coat every grain. The pan will be getting quite hot and dry now, so add your white wine, sprinkling it in carefully around the pan—this evenly distributes the wine and helps it to reduce and evaporate more quickly. Add half of the lemon juice and half of the zest and cook for 1 minute. Keep stirring gently. You will hear the wine “singing” as some of it reduces in the pan. This will probably take about 2 minutes, and then the rice will look dry again.
4. Now you are ready to add your hot stock, a ladleful at a time. After every ladleful, stir well, really scraping the bottom of the pan, until the stock has almost disappeared into the rice. Then add another ladleful, keeping the rice moist all the time—don’t let it get dry in between ladlefuls. After about 15 minutes of adding stock and stirring in this way, start to taste—be careful, since the rice will be very hot. The rice needs to be tender, but still have some bite to it. Your risotto should take no more than 20 to 25 minutes from start to finish.
5. When you feel that it is almost there, take the pan off the heat.
6. Quickly mix the cheese, as much thyme as you please, and the remaining lemon juice and zest into your bowl of egg yolks, and then beat this into your risotto as energetically as you can. The risotto should be nice and relaxed and creamy. If it feels a bit too thick, whisk in a little more hot stock. (Rice retains a lot of heat, so you can relax and not rush to finish it off.) It should be creamy and slightly soupy, so if you think it’s too stodgy at the end, you can just add some more hot stock until you are happy with the consistency. Taste and season if you need to. However, remember that if you’re using store-bought stock, it may be very salty anyway, as is the Parmesan, so you may not need much salt.
7. Spoon the risotto into wide bowls and garnish with the reserved lemon zest and thyme.

Hungry for more? Chow down on these:

Mushroom and Asparagus Risotto from Former Chef
Butternut Squash and Bacon Risotto from Guilty Kitchen
Portuguese Duck Risotto from Leite's Culinaria
Risotto Alla Milanese from Leite's Culinaria

Not-from-a-Box Macaroni and Cheese

Rick Rodgers — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 13:58:34 +0000

The Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Sixties Cookbook | Running Press, 2012 | Serves 4 to 6

Raise your hand if you didn’t glue macaroni to something in elementary school. Yeah, we didn’t think so. There’s something decidedly magical about macaroni in the classroom . . . and the kitchen. Whether the kids are climbing the walls or you’re just in from a night on the town, boxed mac ’n’ cheese is a blessing. But if you want to taste the best homemade macaroni and cheese you’ve ever had, try this ’60s baked cheesy macaroni casserole. Feel free to add tomato slices to the top.

For a milder macaroni and cheese–something of a kitchen time-machine classic–substitute 8 ounces of processed cheese product, such as Velveeta, for the Cheddar cheese and use crushed saltine crackers instead of the bread crumbs.–Rick Rodgers and Heather Maclean

LC Macaroni and Cheese Just Like Mom Used to Make Note: Macaroni and cheese just like Mom used to make. Okay, maybe just pretty darned close. (C’mon, the Velveeta? The crushed saltines?) Regardless, it’s incomparably better than what comes out of a box.

Active time: 20 minutes | Total time: 1 hour

Not-from-a-Box Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

Ingredients

| metric conversion

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, plus more for the dish
8 ounces (2 cups) elbow macaroni (or other short, stubby, twisty pasta)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk, warmed
8 ounces (2 cups) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs

Directions

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1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C) and position a rack in the center of the oven. Lightly butter a 1 1/2-quart casserole.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Drain well.
3. Return the pasta pot to the stove over medium-low heat. Add 3 tablespoons of butter and melt. Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until smooth. Let bubble for 1 minute, without letting it brown. Whisk in the milk and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and immediately toss in the cheese and dry mustard but do not stir. Let stand for a minute or so, then whisk until the cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper. Dump in the drained pasta and toss with the sauce.
4. Transfer the macaroni and cheese to the casserole, sprinkle with the bread crumbs, and dot with the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, cut into small pieces. Bake until bubbly and golden brown, about 25 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before scooping it onto plates, making certain to get some of the crunchy crumbs in each spoonful. Serve hot.

Hungry for more? Chow down on these:

Dungeness Crab Macaroni and Cheese from Chef Reinvented
Broccoli Basil Macaroni and Cheese from 101 Cookbooks
Macaroni and Cheese with Carrots from Leite's Culinaria
Bacon and Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese from Leite's Culinaria

Simple Spaghetti

Keda Black — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 15:00:08 +0000

The Student's Cookbook | Lyons Press, 2011 | Serves 2

A good recipe for when the fridge is empty, this all-time classic is often called “aglio olio” (garlic and oil).–Keda Black

LC Improv Night Note: Scrounging for a late-night nosh? A no-stress supper? When it’s half past when you’d wanted to eat and you think the fridge is bare and the pantry empty, think again. The specific amounts of ingredients dictated by the recipe below work really quite well, although don’t let that deter you from playing loose and fancy free with the measures depending on how paltry your pantry. Consider it improv night.

Active time: 15 minutes | Total time: 15 minutes

Simple Spaghetti Recipe

Ingredients

| metric conversion

6 to 8 ounces spaghetti
3 large-ish garlic cloves
4 or so tablespoons olive oil
A good pinch dried chili flakes (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

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1. Take out a large pot and bring at least 8 cups water to a rolling boil. Add some salt, then plunge in the pasta. When the water comes back to a boil, cook according to the package directions.
2. While the pasta is cooking, peel the garlic and slice it as thinly as possible.
3. When your pasta is ready, drain it, reserving a little of the cooking liquid in a bowl.
4. Place the pot or a skillet on medium heat and pour in the oil. Add the garlic and chilies and cook briefly, until the garlic just starts to turn golden. Remove from the heat and add the drained pasta and maybe 2 to 4 tablespoons of the reserved cooking liquid, as much as needed to get your desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Hungry for more? Chow down on these:

Red-Wine Spaghetti with Broccoli from Love and Olive Oil
Spaghetti Squash with Apples & Toasted Pecans from Cookin' Canuck
Spaghetti alla Carbonara from Leite's Culinaria
Spaghetti with Wild Ginger and Herbs from Leite's Culinaria

Pasta Puttanesca

Sophie Dahl — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:00:44 +0000

Miss Dahl's Voluptuous Delights | William Morrow, 2010 | Serves 4

“Whore’s pasta.” Was ever a name so perfectly suited to a dish? This is edgy, spicy, and just the right side of wrong, conjuring up visions of Neapolitan streets and dangerous women in tight dresses.–Sophie Dahl

LC Hurry It Up Already! Note: When time constraints scream for takeout, consider tossing together this weeknight-friendly pasta instead. The truly impatient should note that this quick recipe can be made even more quickly by relying on a pinch of red pepper flakes rather than a tediously chopped fresh chile and a smidgen of anchovy paste from a tube rather than the slippery real deal. There. That’s one supper situation solved. As for the rest of the week, we’d be quite happy to cook from this book every night, although perhaps that’s in part because we like how it uses the word “Voluptuous” in the title…here’s a demonstration of just how easily this pasta can come together:

Active time: 5 minutes | Total time: 30 minutes

Pasta Puttanesca Recipe

Ingredients

| metric conversion

6 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 fresh red chile, seeded and chopped
Two 14 1/2 ounce cans chopped tomatoes, drained
8 anchovy fillets
1 teaspoon light brown sugar (optional)
1 cup black olives, pitted and chopped if desired
12 to 16 ounces penne, preferably spelt pasta (spelt has a lovely light texture and nutty flavor, not to mention a healthful wholesomeness)
4 heaping tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (you could slip basil in place of parsley if you prefer)

Directions

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1. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 4 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the garlic and chile and sweat. (No, not you, she means to cook the garlic and chile over moderately lowish heat so they slowly, slowly throw off their moisture). Add the tomatoes, bring to a simmer, and then take it down to low heat.
2. Let the sauce simmer while you pull out a pestle and mortar and grind the anchovies with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil into a paste. Add the paste to the simmering sauce and carry on with the simmering for about 20 minutes more. The sauce should be musky and heady.
3. Meanwhile, cook the pasta as directed on the box until it is al dente and drain.
4. You could add 1 teaspoon brown sugar to the sauce here, although I suggest you taste it first and then decide whether you’d like to add it or not. Add the olives to the sauce, spoon it over the pasta, scatter with a big handful of parsley, and pretend you’re in a steamy restaurant in a winding alleyway in Naples.

Hungry for more? Chow down on these:

Pasta with Fresh Pomodoro Sauce from Yumsugar
Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce from The Pioneer Woman
Grilled Swordfish Puttanesca with Fennel and White Beans from Leite's Culinaria
Jamie Oliver's Rigatoni with Tomatoes, Eggplant, and Mozzarella from Leite's Culinaria

Mac and Cheese with Carrots

Melissa Clark — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 14:55:29 +0000

Cook this Now | Hyperion, 2011 | Serves 6

Like most little kids, my daughter Dahlia loves macaroni and cheese, and I‘ve made it for her in many guises, running the gamut of techniques. My aim is always the same — to make the dish quickly with a minimum of fuss, and to use a maximum of vegetables that she will tolerate and not pick out.

This is one of both our favorites. It’s comforting, crusty topped, soft centered, and very cheesy – but not at all sophisticated. Just simple, kid-friendly, homemade food with the added grown-up appeal of lots of healthful carrots tossed into the mix. I got the idea from a chef’s recipe in a glossy food magazine. I decided to come up with my own simplified and ultra-Cheddary version. It was a huge hit with the under-three crowd and their parents, too. It’s a straightforward recipe that comes together without much fuss, other than having to grate some carrots. But to make up for that, I’ve eliminated the need to make a cheese sauce on the top of the stove. Instead, I toss the hot pasta with grated cheddar, butter, sour cream for creaminess, and eggs to hold it all together. The grated carrots get boiled along with the pasta, so cooking them isn’t an extra step. And the tiny orange shreds look so much like the cheddar that your kids might not even notice they are there. Dahlia certainly hasn’t, and while I’ve never lied to her about their inclusion, I might have left out the word carrot in the dish description — accidentally, of course.–Melissa Clark

LC Getting By With A Little Help From Your Friends Note: There’s not always room in a recipe for all the tricks and tactics that a cookbook author has come to learn in making a recipe over and over and over again. Fortunately, cookbook author and recipe conjurer Melissa Clark also considers herself a friend to readers, so she has has these additional tricks, tactics, and tips to share:

–This is one of those macaroni and cheeses with an eggy custard base that puffs as it cooks and is cut into squares, like a casserole, as opposed to that gooey, creamy, stove-top béchamel sauce version. I know some people have strong opinions about what constitutes a proper mac and cheese–I’m an equal opportunist myself, but thought I’d let you know what you’re getting yourself into before starting the recipe.

–If grating the Cheddar cheese in a food processor, you don’t need to clean it before grating the carrots–or vice versa.

–You can vary the cheese to give this rather plain (if tasty) dish more personality. Gruyère, aged Cheddar, pecorino, and aged Gouda will all add a sophisticated allure that will raise it above mere kids’ food.

–Feed this dish to the kids as is; grown-ups should indulge with a squirt of fiery Sriracha or other hot sauce all over the top.

Active time: 20 minutes | Total time: 1 hour

Mac and Cheese with Carrots Recipe

Ingredients

| metric conversion

2 cups macaroni, preferably whole-wheat
2 1/2 cups (about 8 smallish carrots) coarsely grated carrot
3 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus more for the baking dish
3/4 cup sour cream (not low-fat or non-fat)
1/4 cup whole milk
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon mustard powder
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

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1. Preheat the oven to 400° F (204°C). Adjust the oven rack to the top third of the oven. Butter an 8-inch square baking dish.
2. Cook the macaroni according to package instructions, adding the grated carrots about 3 minutes before the pasta is due to be done. Drain the pasta and carrots in a colander.
3. Dump the hot pasta and carrots back into the pot and stir in 2 1/2 cups of the Cheddar and all of the butter. In another bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk, eggs, salt, mustard powder, and pepper, and then fold this mixture into the pasta. Scrape the cheesy pasta into the prepared dish and sprinkle with the remaining Cheddar and the Parmesan.
4. Bake the carroty mac and cheese casserole until it’s firm to the touch and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let it cool for a few minutes, then slice or scoop it straight from the baking dish.

Hungry for more? Chow down on these:

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese from Two Peas and Their Pod
Broccoli and White Cheddar Mac & Cheese from Craving Chronicles
Macaroni Gratin from Leite's Culinaria
Bacon and Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese from Leite's Culinaria

Pastina Stars with Butter and Milk

Julia della Croce — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 15:00:27 +0000

Julia della Croce | Italian Home Cooking | Kyle Books, 2010 | Serves 4 children or 2 adults

Nothing is more emblematic of an Italian childhood than pastina (literally, “little pasta”) with butter and milk. It’s baby’s first solid food, remembered in adulthood with great nostalgia. There are many different varieties of pastina, including anellini (“little rings”), stelline (“little stars”), acini de pepe (“peppercorns”), funghetti (“little mushrooms”), alfabeti (“alphabets”), and orzo (“barley”), to name a few of the most common.–Julia Della Croce

LC Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star Note: Soooo cute, right? But not so cute that adults can’t sit down to pastina for dinner once in a while alongside the kids–especially after one of those days, when these little stars makes everything better in the twinkling of an eye. So when you wish upon a star, wish hard for Pastina Stars with Butter and Milk. You’ll thank us.

Active time: 10 minutes | Total time: 20 minutes.

Pastina Stars with Butter and Milk Recipe

Ingredients

| metric conversion

1 cup “little stars” pastina or other tiny pastina shapes
3 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup warm milk, plus more if desired

Directions

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1. Bring 3 quarts (12 cups) water to a boil. Stir in the pastina and salt. Cook according to the package directions. Drain, reserving the cooking water, and transfer to a bowl.

2. While the pasta is still piping hot, add the butter, burying it in the pasta to melt it. Stir in the warm milk. If a looser texture is desired, add a little more warm milk. Serve at once to prevent the pastina from drying out and clumping. For best results, stir in a little of the reserved cooking water as needed to keep the pasta moist.

Hungry for more? Chow down on these:

Chicken and Stars Soup from Cheeky Kitchen
Pumpkin Pastina from Proud Italian Cook
Dan’s Macaroni and Cheese from Leite’s Culinaria
Orecchiette with Morel Mushrooms and Ramps from Leite’s Culinaria

Pumpkin Lasagne

Domenica Marchetti — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 15:02:20 +0000

Domenica Marchetti | The Glorious Pasta of Italy | Chronicle, 2011 | Serves 8 to 10

I created this hearty yet elegant pumpkin lasagne recipe for a winter dinner party. It’s a classic four-cheese lasagne with a beautiful twist: pumpkin pasta sheets. The subtle flavor and golden hue of the noodles go perfectly with the rich quartet of cheeses: mozzarella, Gorgonzola, Fontina, and Parmigiano. You can serve it as a first course, followed by a simple roast, or as a main course, accompanied by a colorful mixed-lettuce salad. You can count on your guests loving this—but don’t count on leftovers.–Domenica Marchetti

LC Pumpkin Assumption Note: Bet you thought you’d find nubs of winter squash napped with bechamel, eh? Guess again. There’s nary a chunk of roasted gourd in this lasagne recipe. Nope. Just gorgeous sheets of homemade pasta imbued with the spirit and spectacle of vibrant pureed pumpkin. No complaints here.

Active time: 40 minutes | Total time: 1 hour, 20 minutes.

Pumpkin Lasagne Recipe

Ingredients

| metric conversion

1 batch Pumpkin Pasta Dough, cut into lasagne noodles
1 batch Béchamel Sauce, heated to a simmer
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into small cubes
3 cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
10 ounces Gorgonzola dolce cheese, crumbled or diced
8 ounces Fontina or fontal cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Directions

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1. To make the lasagne recipe, spread a clean tablecloth or several clean tea towels on a flat surface near the stove. Have ready the uncooked pasta, the béchamel, and the cheeses. Place a large bowl filled with ice water near the stove for briefly immersing the cooked lasagne noodles to remove excess starch.

2. Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

3. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and salt it generously. Carefully drop in 4 or 5 lasagne noodles, taking care not to crowd the pot. Boil the pasta for about 1 minute, as fresh pasta cooks quickly and the lasagne noodles should be slightly underdone. Use a large skimmer to remove the lasagne noodles from the pot and gently immerse them in the bowl of ice water. Then use the skimmer to remove the noodles and let them drip before spreading them on the clean tablecloth. Continue to cook, cool, and spread out the lasagne noodles until you have cooked and cooled all of them.

4. Spread a thin layer of béchamel in the bottom of the prepared dish. Arrange a single layer of the lasagne noodles over the sauce. Spread just enough béchamel over the pasta to cover it, and sprinkle half of the mozzarella over the béchamel. Sprinkle about 1/5 of the Parmigiano (about one-fifth of it) over the mozzarella. Arrange another layer of noodles in the dish and spread béchamel over them. Sprinkle the Gorgonzola and a little more Parmigiano on top. Arrange a third layer of noodles in the dish and cover with béchamel. Sprinkle the Fontina and more Parmigiano on top. Arrange a fourth layer of noodles in the dish and spread béchamel over the pasta, reserving enough of the sauce for the top. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and some Parmigiano on top, reserving enough Parmigiano for the top. Cover with a final layer of noodles and of béchamel. Sprinkle the remaining Parmigiano on top. (The lasagne may be assembled and stored, unbaked, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. If frozen, let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Bring to room temperature before baking.)

5. Cover the dish with aluminum foil. Bake the lasagne for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until it is bubbling and the top is golden brown. Remove the lasagne from the oven and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting. To serve, cut the lasagne into individual portions, and transfer to shallow rimmed bowls. Serve immediately.

Hungry for more? Chow down on these:

Zucchini and Spaghetti Squash Lasagna from Green Lite Bites
Roasted Vegetable Lasagna from For the Love of Cooking
Personal Pan Lasagna from Leite’s Culinaria
Summer Seafood Lasagna from Leite’s Culinaria

Pumpkin Pasta Dough

Domenica Marchetti — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 15:01:39 +0000

Domenica Marchetti | The Glorious Pasta of Italy | Chronicle, 2011 | Makes about 1 pound

Fresh egg noodles in Italy are a gorgeous, rich golden color that is hard to replicate elsewhere. This is because of the intense red of the yolks (indeed, in Italy the yolk is referred to as il rosso, “the red”). I’m still not sure what inspired me one day to add just a little bit of pumpkin puree to my pasta dough—actually it was buttercup squash, which has sweet, dense, deep orange flesh. I happened to have some leftover in my fridge from a pumpkin cheesecake that I had made for Thanksgiving. Into the dough it went. The resulting pasta sheets were even better than I had imagined, golden in color and subtle in flavor—a perfect match for pumpkin lasagne. But you can also cut them into pappardelle or fettuccine and serve them with a simple tomato sauce.– Domenica Marchetti

LC Stealthy Surplus Pumpkin Note: What to do if you find yourself with leftover pumpkin puree? If you’re feeling a little, oh, we don’t know, intrepid, try stirring some into mac-n-cheese. It’ll bring an ever so subtle sweetness to dinner–as well as a bolder orange hue and a healthier you.

Active time: 15 minutes | Total time: 45 minutes.

Pumpkin Pasta Dough Recipe

Ingredients

| metric conversion

1/3 cup pureed cooked pumpkin or winter squash, such as buttercup or kabocha (or substitute canned pumpkin puree)
2 large or extra-large eggs
2 to 2 1/4 cups “00” flour or unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons semolina flour, plus more for the work surface
3/4 teaspoons fine sea salt
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg

Directions

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1. In a small bowl, whisk together the pumpkin and 1 egg. Set aside.

2. Place 2 cups “00” flour, the semolina flour, salt, and nutmeg in a food processor. Pulse briefly to combine. Add the pumpkin-egg mixture and pulse briefly. Add the remaining egg and pulse until the mixture forms crumbs that look like small curds. Pinch together a bit of the mixture and roll it around. It should form a soft ball. If the mixture seems dry, drizzle in a few droplets of water and pulse briefly. If it seems too wet and sticky, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse briefly.

3. Turn the mixture onto a clean work surface sprinkled lightly with semolina flour and press it together with your hands to form a rough ball. Knead the dough by using the palm of your hand to push the dough gently but firmly away from you, and then fold it over toward you. Rotate the dough a quarter turn, and repeat the pushing and folding motion. Continue kneading for several minutes until the dough is smooth. Form it into a ball and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Let the dough rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before using.

4. To form lasagne noodles, stretch the dough as thin as you comfortably can, no thicker than 1/16 inch. If you lift a sheet with your hand, you should be able to see the shadow of your hand through it. Because lasagne noodles are layered, they need to be very thin. Using a sharp chef’s or similar knife, cut each sheet into rectangles about 4 inches by 5 inches.

Hungry for more? Chow down on these:

Squid Ink Pasta from Porcini Chronicles
Spinach Pasta from Macheesmo
Homemade Pasta Dough from Leite’s Culinaria
Fresh Egg Pasta Dough from Leite’s Culinaria