Christopher Columbus has a holiday named after him, but that doesn’t stop party poopers from pointing out that he never actually reached this country on his famous first voyage. He did, though, help establish an exchange of culture between continents that benefited Europeans enormously.
His own countrymen, who rolled their eyes when he said he was sailing past the place where the earth obviously dropped off the map, should daily get down on their knees and thank Columbus for introducing tomatoes to Italy–the fruit that launched thousands of perfect pasta sauces.
Corn, whose meal is stewed into polenta, and the potato, which is milled and shaped into nubbly little gnocchi, also were a gift from this part of the world, along with a wealth of other ingredients unknown, until then, outside of the Americas.
We’ll do our part, too, in thanking our Italian friends for making the most sublime pasta dishes in the world and for knowing how to turn so many American ingredients into wonderful recipes.
In that spirit, the Good Eating Test Kitchen came up with some recipes that bring the two worlds together: ricotta-stuffed shells dressed with a saucy mix of tomatoes, corn and bell peppers; creamy fettuccini dressed with pieces of America’s favorite bird; and gnocchi fashioned from good ol’ sweet potatoes.
Another dish, a favorite, comes from the kitchen of Vivere restaurant: a scrumptious combination of pasta and squash. This is brotherhood among nations at its best.
STUFFED SHELLS WITH ROASTED VEGETABLE SAUCE
Preparation time: About 45 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Developed in the Tribune test kitchen.
Shells:
1 container (15 ounces) ricotta cheese, drained
1 large egg
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
16 large (3 1/2-inch long) pasta shells, cooked according to package, drained
Sauce:
3 strips bacon, coarsely chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil, or as needed
3 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, chopped
1 ear corn, roasted or grilled, kernels removed
1 green bell pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded, chopped, see note
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Freshly ground pepper
Grated Parmesan cheese
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. For shells, combine ricotta, egg, Parmesan, parsley, salt and pepper; stir well. Fill cooked shells with cheese mixture. Place shells in single layer in 13- by 9-inch baking pan; set aside.
2. For sauce, cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove with slotted spoon; set aside. Add onion and garlic to skillet. Cook, stirring frequently, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add oil and tomatoes. Cook, stirring frequently, until tomatoes fall apart and form sauce, 12 to 15 minutes. Stir in corn, bell pepper, basil, salt and pepper. Heat through, about 2 minutes, adding water if too thick.
3. Spoon sauce over shells; cover with aluminum foil. Bake until heated through, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve with Parmesan.
Note: To roast a pepper, place it directly over a gas burner and turn with tongs until skin is uniformly blistered and blackened, 2 to 4 minutes. (The broiler also works.) Seal in plastic or paper bag until cool, then peel and seed.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories ………… 570 Fat ………… 31 g Saturated fat .. 11 g
% calories from fat .. 48 Cholesterol .. 105 mg Sodium ….. 1,130 mg
Carbohydrates …… 47 g Protein …….. 28 g Fiber ……….. 4 g
CAPPELLACCI DI ZUCCA
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
Adapted from a recipe from chef Marcelo Gallegos of Vivere.
Pasta:
1 2 1/2- to 3-pound butternut squash
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 large egg
8 (3 ounces) amaretti cookies, crushed
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
Freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 pounds fresh pasta sheets, see note
Pears:
1/4 cup ( 1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 1/2 pounds Bartlett pears, peeled, cored, diced
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. For pasta filling, cut squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Place cut side down in baking pan large enough to hold both halves. Add about 1/2 inch water to pan. Cook 35 minutes. Turn squash over. Divide butter and cinnamon evenly between squash halves. Cook until tender when pierced with fork, about 35 to 40 minutes. Set aside until cool enough to handle.
2. Scoop squash from skin into medium bowl; mash with fork, potato masher or ricer. Cool completely. Add egg, 2/3 of the cookies, 1/2 cup of the cheese, salt and pepper; stir to combine.
3. Lay pasta sheets flat on work surface; cut into 3-inch squares. Put generous teaspoon of filling in center of pasta squares and moisten edges of squares with water. Fold each square diagonally, pressing to seal. Hold pasta by center point; bring remaining two points up and pinch together over center. (Will resemble little hats.) Repeat with remaining pasta squares. Place filled pasta on baking sheet dusted with flour.
4. Heat large saucepan filled with salted water to boil over high heat. Cook pasta, in batches, until al dente, about 4 minutes.
5. For pears, melt butter in medium skillet. Add pears; cook, stirring constantly, until slightly softened and heated through, about 3 to 4 minutes. Toss pasta and pears in large serving bowl. Top with remaining Parmesan and crushed cookies.
Note: Look for sheets of fresh pasta in some Italian markets or supermarkets such as Whole Foods.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories ………… 475 Fat ……….. 20 g Saturated fat .. 11 g
% calories from fat .. 37 Cholesterol .. 70 mg Sodium ……. 320 mg
Carbohydrates …… 64 g Protein ……. 13 g Fiber ……….. 6 g
FETTUCCINI WITH TURKEY-WALNUT SAUCE
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Developed in the Tribune test kitchen.
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 pound turkey breast cutlets, sliced 1/4-inch thick
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram or 1 teaspoon dried
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
Freshly ground pepper
2 cups whipping cream or half-and-half
1 cup coarsely chopped toasted walnuts
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
8 ounces fettuccini, cooked according to package directions, drained
Fresh marjoram, grated Parmesan cheese
1. Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add turkey; cook, turning frequently, until cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic, marjoram, salt, nutmeg and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 2 minutes.
2. Add cream. Heat to simmer over medium heat. Cook, turning frequently, until thickened, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in walnuts and cheese. Adjust seasoning.
3. Pour sauce over pasta in large serving bowl; toss to coat. Sprinkle with additional Parmesan and marjoram.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories ………. 1,040 Fat ………… 74 g Saturated fat .. 32 g
% calories from fat .. 63 Cholesterol .. 235 mg Sodium ……. 610 mg
Carbohydrates …… 53 g Protein …….. 45 g Fiber ……….. 6 g
SWEET POTATO GNOCCHI WITH MADEIRA-CREAM SAUCE
Preparation time: 45 minutes
Cooking time: 15-20 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
Developed in the Tribune test kitchen.
Gnocchi:
1 3/4 to 2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Freshly ground white pepper
2 pounds sweet potatoes, boiled, peeled, mashed
Sauce:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter
1/2 cup Madeira wine
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
2 teaspoons maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground white pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus more to pass
1. For gnocchi, mix 1 3/4 cups of the flour, basil, salt, nutmeg and pepper to taste in large bowl. Make well in center of flour. Put sweet potatoes in well; mix into flour with hands. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Gently knead dough 4 minutes, adding additional flour if needed to prevent sticking.
2. Cut dough into thirds; wrap two pieces in plastic wrap. Refrigerate while working with third. Roll dough into rope 1/2 to 3/4 inches thick; cut into 3/4-inch pieces. Place thumb in center of each piece and roll slightly to form concave dumplings. Repeat with remaining dough.
3. Heat salted water to boil in large pot over high heat. Cook gnocchi, in batches, until pasta rises to surface and is cooked through, about 6 minutes. Drain; place gnocchi in shallow casserole. Set aside.
4. For sauce, melt butter in medium skillet over medium heat until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat; add Madeira. Return to heat. Cook, stirring , until sauce thickens to syrup consistency, 4 to 5 minutes. Add cream, maple syrup, salt and pepper. Heat to simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 12 minutes. Stir in cheese until melted.
5. Pour sauce over gnocchi; toss to coat. Pass grated Parmesan.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories ………… 445 Fat ………… 24 g Saturated fat .. 15 g
% calories from fat .. 48 Cholesterol … 80 mg Sodium ……. 510 mg
Carbohydrates …… 51 g Protein ……… 7 g Fiber ……… 3.8 g
