MYSTIQUE AND COMFORT OF PASTA

 

                            Mystique and comfort of pasta

 

          Pasta is one of those comfort foods that is equally at home on our cold winter days and easily transforms itself into a refreshing light meal in the summer. It’s origins go back 3,500 years in China and the ancient Etruscan civilization, current Italy. Marco Polo did not bring pasta to Italy from China, it originated in both locations probably because it tasted so good, was easy to cook and was amenable to many added flavors.

          Romans feasted on precursors of lasagna with sheets of stuffed dough and in 1154 an Arab geographer described “food of flour in form of threads” in Sicily, presumably sheets of dough cut in thin strips. Modern chefs are known for their signature dishes, such as ‘Fettucine Alfredo’, which now depicts pasta in a rich cream sauce. I still have a treasured old photograph from dinner at “Alfredo”, a small restaurant in Rome, where the original Alfredo was the chef. Todays landscape for pasta dishes has expanded to embrace a large variety of shapes and flavors in every cook’s repertoire.

                            Balsamic matriacini with mushrooms and sausage

          Cook matriacini (thick round noodles or wide pasta) for 10 minutes in boiling salted water and drain reserving ½ cup pasta water.

          Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil and 1 tbsp. butter in a large pan and sauté 8 oz sliced mushroom and ½ red onion chopped for 8 minutes and set aside. In the same pan crumble 6 oz. mild Italian sausage and brown for 5 minutes. Stir in 2 sliced garlic cloves, 1 tbsp. double concentrated tomato paste, 1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper, ¼ tsp. oregano, ½ tsp. thyme and 3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar. Cook with stirring 2 minutes on medium low heat. Toss t with the mushrooms, pasta and ½ cup of the reserved pasta liquid. Cook for 2 minutes to mix thoroughly and heat. Serve hot with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano and a green salad on the side.

          Recent proliferation of recipes of pasta sauced with peanut butter piqued my curiosity. While most of us grew up with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, peanut butter did not appear in the US until WWI, when it became a desirable source of easily digestible protein instead of meat. I was familiar with Satay sauce for meat made of ground peanuts and spices which is a historical mainstay in Chinese and Southeast Asian cuisine, but in pasta?  Well, blending oriental noodles with a combination of spices and peanut butter was an interesting experiment with delicious results.

                                     Peanut butter-ginger-spiced udon

          Most recipes call for smooth peanut butter, but chunky works fine and gives a little extra crunch.         To prepare the sauce heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a small saucepan and sauté 2 finely chopped garlic cloves and 2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh ginger for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in ½ cup chunky or smooth peanut butter and ¼ cup very hot water to make a thick paste.  Stir in 2 tbsp. light soy sauce, 2 tbsp. lime juice, 1 tsp. toasted sesame oil, 1 tsp. Gochujang or hot chili garlic sauce and ¼ cup sour cream onion dip.

          Cook 14 oz udon noodles according to package directions, drain, rinse with hot water and return to the pot. Add in the sauce and heat on low heat with stirring for 2-3 minutes. Serve in shallow bowls garnished with chopped scallions, chopped roasted peanuts and black sesame seeds.

          Some frozen rhubarb and cranberries from the freezer provided a simple tart dessert to go with either pasta dish.

                                      Rhubarb-cranberry-raisin compote

          Combine 2 cups frozen 1–2-inch pieces of rhubarb, l cup cranberries, ½ cup raisins, 5 cloves and ½ cup water in a 3 qt. pot. Bring to boil and cook for 10 minutes, stir in 1 cup sugar and cook for additional 5 minutes. Serve cold with a dab of ice cream.

          One of the joys of cooking is the wonderful continuing education of taste for both old and new ingredients found in compatible and tasty combinations.

 

(I. Winicov Harrington lives in coastal Maine and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less than $5.00 a Day…”and “Uncharted Journey from Riga”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)

 

TIME FOR WARMING SOUP

                                    Time for warming soup

           The icicles from my roof keep growing at such alarming rate these days that I’m willing to take seriously the recent prognostications of that sleepy marmot in Pennsylvania. Even the meteorologists have jumped on the band wagon with their predictions of continued Arctic blast. For the home cook it is a clear signal to retrieve recipes for favorite warming soups.

          Soup is one of those warm filling dishes produced in a pot on the stove with liquid, meat or fish, flavorful grains or vegetables, limited only by imagination of the cook. And yet it’s origins go back about 20,000 years when archaeologists record that, ancient humans in Egypt, China and even Neanderthals made bone broth in leather or basket containers. Since these could not be placed on an open flame the water had to be heated by dropping in hot stones! As cooking evolved by the time of Romans, broth was used to soak bread, from which the word soup was derived. 

                                    Latino black bean and rice soup

          Soak 1 cup dried black beans in excess cold water overnight and drain. Heat 3 tbsp. olive oil in a 4 qt. pot and sauté 1 large onion chopped, 4 minced garlic cloves, 1 celery stalk and 1 medium carrot finely chopped, 1 seeded and de-ribbed green pepper chopped, 1tsp. oregano, 1 tsp. cumin and ½ tsp. turmeric for 5 minutes. Add the beans and 4 cups low salt chicken broth and ½ tsp pepper. Bring to boil and cook on medium low heat for 1 hour.

          Stir in 2 tbsp. tomato paste, 1 tsp. salt and 3 tbsp. red wine vinegar. Simmer for 30 minutes. Stir in 2 cups cooked brown rice, adjust liquid to desired consistency and heat thoroughly. Serve hot in bowls garnished with sour cream, sliced radishes or parsley.

                                                  Minestra di ceci

          The recipe was adapted from “The Italian Country Table” by Lynne Rosetto Kasper. Soak 1 cup chickpeas in cold water overnight. Drain the peas and cook for 40 minutes covered with 2 inches of water with added 2 tbsp. dried onion flakes, 1 bay leaf, 7 cloves, ½ tsp. salt. Remove bay leaf and cloves.

          Peel and chop 1 medium onion, 2 small carrots, 1 parsnip and 1 celery stalk with leaves. Coarsely shred 1 cup cabbage. In a large pot heat 2 tbsp. olive oil and sauté the vegetables for 10 minutes, add 2-3 chopped garlic cloves and sauté for additional 2 minutes. Stir in 4 cups water, 1 ½ tsp. salt, leaves from 2 six-inch stems of fresh rosemary, 2–3-inch piece of Parmesan rind, 1 tsp. sage, ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes, ¼ cup chopped sundried tomatoes, ¼ cup chopped Italian parsley. Cook for 30 minutes, stir in 1 small yellow squash diced, the cooked peas with liquid, ¼ cup ditalini or other small pasta and cook for another 12 minutes. Serve hot, topped with Parmesan.

          Soups made with legumes and crusty bread or savory muffins can provide a satisfying meal. However, for occasional elegant variety you can’t beat cheese straws. They are quite easy to make with commercially available puff pastry dough and are delicious.

                                  Parmesan or aged Asiago cheese straws

          Thaw 1 sheet of a 17.3 oz. package of frozen Puff Pastry sheets (Supermarket Frozen food section) according to directions. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and assemble ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan or aged Asiago cheese, 1 egg beaten with 1 tblsp. water and finely chopped 1-2 tbsp. Italian parsley.

          Unfold the thawed pastry on a floured board and roll it in 14x10 inch rectangle. Cut it in half crosswise. Brush each half with the beaten egg. Top one half with the shredded cheese, sprinkle with ½ tsp. dried oregano leaves and the chopped parsley. Lay the other half of the pastry egg-side down on top. Using a rolling pin lightly seal the halves. Cut the pastry crosswise in ½ inch strips, twist each strip and lay on a non-stick pan, pushing down the ends to anchor it. Do NOT use parchment. Brush each twist with the egg wash.

          Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes to golden brown. Cool on wire rack and serve. Store in airtight container or in humid weather they will get soft.

           (I. Winicov Harrington lives in coastal Maine and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less than $5.00 a Day…”and “Uncharted Journey from Riga”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)