Category: Pasta

Making a Good Thing Better

October 19, 2009

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I am the oldest child in my family and I have a lot of the characteristics attributed to being first in the birth order.  One of those traits is being a rule follower, something that I was as a child and I continue to be as an adult.  I stand in line when I am supposed to, I stick to the speed limit, I am always on time.  Over most of my cooking life, I have stuck to the rules i.e. recipes.  I was afraid to branch out and would only make substitutions if desperate – I followed those recipes like a good rule-following oldest child.

I continue to bake in this way because, unless you really know what you are doing, it’s not a good idea to start messing with the science of baking.  But I have gotten less timid about tweaking savory recipes.  Sometimes they work better than others but I think I am a good enough cook, and have enough experience in the kitchen, to trust myself and my style.

I found the idea for this pasta recently on a lovely blog called Food & Style.  Viviane’s photo of a tangle of olive flecked pasta topped with goat cheese had me putting it on my “make immediately” list.  I am a sucker for olives, especially oil cured black wrinkly ones, and I also deeply appreciate a meal that can be made from things I always have on hand.  But as this dish began to come together, I started to improvise.  I threw in some cherry tomatoes I had in my fruit basket, I added more capers, I made it spicy by sprinkling in a healthy dose of red pepper flakes, I added the goat cheese (and a decent amount of pasta cooking water) directly to the cooked pasta so a kind of cream sauce emerged.  In other words, I took a good idea and ran with it.

On first bite Randy said, “Oh wow, this is yum.”  That is very high praise from my husband for whom food is still fuel, no matter how hard I try to sway him otherwise.  To my taste buds, this is a once a week dish.  Very savory from both the salty olives and capers, creamy and tangy at the same time from the goat cheese, the hit of acid and sweetness from the tomatoes making it more than just a one-note salty dish.  Using fresh pasta (which I often have in my freezer) just makes it sublime but you can, of course, use dried.

A note on how I prepared this and other pastas.  I never use a colander anymore to drain my noodles.  It’s just an extra dish to wash and I am on a lifelong quest to reduce the number of dishes in my sink at any given time.  I place the pasta pot and the skillet in which I have my sauce right next to each other.  When the pasta is done, I take either tongs (if I am using a long noodle like spaghetti), or a slotted spoon (for short noodles like penne) and transfer the pasta directly to the sauce.  That way, some of the starchy water comes along for the ride and if you need more of that goodness (as you will in this recipe), the whole pot is there for the taking instead of being poured down the drain.

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Fettucine with Oil Cured Olives, Tomatoes, and Goat Cheese
With Thanks to Food & Style
Serves 3

If you are not using fresh pasta here, I would use 3/4 pound of dried for this amount of sauce.  If you are not a fan of spice, cut the red pepper flakes to 1/4 teaspoon, or don’t add them at all. Both the olives and capers are quite salty here, so definitely taste before you season.

1/4 cup olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
3/4 cup oil cured black olives, pitted and chopped
2 tbsp. capers, rinsed and drained
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved if large
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn, plus more for garnish
1 lb. fresh fettucine
4 oz. soft goat cheese, such as Montrachet
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet (large enough to hold all the pasta once it is cooked), heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the garlic and stir until starting to brown, about 2 minutes.  Add the oregano and red pepper flakes, stir, then add the olives, capers and tomatoes.  Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until the tomatoes just start to fall apart.  Add the basil, stir, and turn the heat as low as it will go.

Once the pasta is al dente, using tongs, add it directly to the skillet with the sauce.  Break the goat cheese into small lumps and start to toss it into the pasta coating the noodles with sauce and cheese.  Keep adding pasta water in 1/4 cups-full until the pasta has a cream sauce-like consistency.  Taste for salt and add freshly ground black pepper.


Category: Cheese, Dana Treat Original, Main Course, Pasta, Quick and Easy
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Do You Really Need a Recipe?

October 5, 2009

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I don’t know when I first tasted arugula.  Maybe it was in the early 90’s when fancy lettuces starting making appearances in restaurant salads.  Whenever it was, it was a revelation for me.  How could something so green taste so peppery?  How could lettuce have so much flavor?

In the years since, I have learned to use arugula as much as possible in as many ways as possible.  I love it in salads of course, but I also love it in pasta and on top of pizza.  These days it seems that arugula comes in two varieties – baby leaves in a bag or large leaves in a bunch.  I find the large leaves almost too peppery for a salad (unless it was paired with something sweet like beets) and the small leaves are too delicate for cooked dishes.  If anyone out there knows of a medium arugula leaf, I’d sure like to hear about it.

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I made this pasta dish the other night with some arugula that came in our CSA box.  As I was making it, I wondered whether I would post about it.  Is this the kind of thing that you really need a recipe for?  Doesn’t it seem kind of obvious?  I visit so many sites where the food is incredible and original and I wasn’t sure my humble pasta could keep up.  But then I realized that sometimes we food  bloggers can kind of live in a bubble.  Just a few years ago, I would have needed a written recipe to make something this good.  I couldn’t have come up with it on my own.  The years I spent being a personal chef have made me a better, more adventurous, and creative cook.  And having this CSA box come each week has been a big challenge.  So here you go.

Pasta with Tomato Sauce and Arugula
Dana Treat Original
Serves 3-4

If you like your pasta saucy, use the 12 ounces of dried pasta suggested here.  If you like it a little drier (or you have big eaters in your family), use a full pound.

Olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
28 oz. can crushed Italian tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
Half a bunch of large arugula leaves, stems discarded and torn into roughly 2-inch pieces
2 small handfuls grated mozzarella cheese
12 oz. short pasta, such as rigatoni
Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Put a large skillet on the stove over medium heat.  Add just enough olive oil to coat the bottom and then add the garlic.  Stir constantly until starting to brown, then add the tomatoes (they will splatter a bit).  Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and a few turns of pepper.  Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 20 minutes.  Add the basil about halfway through the cooking time.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add the pasta and cook until al dente.  Using a large slotted spoon, transfer the cooked pasta to the skillet with the sauce.  Add the arugula and mozzarella cheese then toss carefully toss everything together.  You will want the noodles coated with sauce, the arugula to wilt, and the cheese to melt slightly.  Serve in shallow bowls with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.


Category: Dana Treat Original, Main Course, Pasta, Quick and Easy
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What Do You Do With Chard?

September 16, 2009

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Chard. It’s not the sexiest of vegetables. But if are part of a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), chances are you have gotten it in your produce box. Or if you are a vegetarian looking to boost your iron (dark leafy greens are a known source of iron), chances are you have bought it. Now what to do with it?

I’ve used chard a number of ways and I can’t say that I love it. I actually like kale better, as long as it is cooked way down. But in this dish the chard actually added to the overall flavor instead of just being a guest invited for nutritional purposes only. So often you will see recipes that call for the leaves only – what to do with those colorful stems? This recipe uses both the leaves and the stems brilliantly.

Here is what this dinner is not:

1) A “stick to your ribs” meal
2) Something eat on those days when you can’t seem to feel full, no matter what you eat
3) A meal to serve to non-adventurous eaters

Here is what this dinner is:

1) Healthy and very tasty
2) Something to make when you may have overindulged over the course of a day or two
3) Food that you can eat to your heart’s content without feeling like you need to loosen your belt

Because I am an oldest child and a rule follower, I tend to follow recipes the first time I try them. After that I take liberties. I made this once before for my clients and found it a little…lacking. This time I added just a bit of small pasta to give it more body and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese just before serving. A little more substantial and a lot more yum.

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Chickpeas and Chard with Cilantro and Cumin
Adapted from Vegetarian Suppers from Deborah Madison’s Kitchen
Serves 3-4

If you don’t want to add the pasta, you might consider serving this over rice. You can use any type of chard here, but the red will give you that gorgeous color.

Olive oil
1 large onion, finely diced
Pinch or 2 of saffron threads
3 ounces small pasta such as orzo or diatilini
2 garlic cloves
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup cilantro leaves
1/4 cup parsley leaves
1/2 tsp. ground cumin, or more to taste
2 tsp. tomato paste
14 chard leaves with stems
2 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained
Parmesan cheese, for serving

1. Heat a wide skillet over medium heat. Add just enough olive oil to coat the bottom, then add the onion and the saffron. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 12-15 minutes. Meanwhile, pound garlic with 1/2 tsp. salt, the cilantro, parsley, and cumin to make a rough paste. (DT: I used a mortar and pestle for this.) When the onions are golden and soft, add the paste to the pan along with the tomato paste and work it into the onions.

2. Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until very al dente. (Pasta will cook a little more when added to the mix.) Drain and reserve.

3. Slice the chard leaves off their stems. Put them in a wide pot with 2 cups of water and cook, covered, until wilted and tender, about 5 minutes. Set the leaves aside ina colander, reserving cooking water.

4. Trim the chard stems so that you’re left with planklike pieces of even width. Cut the planks into strips, then into fine dice and drop them into the reserved chard water. Simmer until tender, about 10 minutes, then turn off the heat. Scoop out the stems, set aside. Reserve the cooking water.

5. Add the chickpeas to the onion along with the chard cooking water. Add the cooked pasta. Coarsely chop the chard leaves and add it as well. Simmer for 10 minutes, then add the stems. Taste for salt and season with pepper. Serve dusted with Parmesan cheese.


Category: Beans, Main Course, Pasta
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Tortellini Skewers

August 17, 2009

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Let’s say you’re having a party.  Let’s say between 40 and 50 hungry people are coming.  Let’s say you decided that you were going to make all finger food because you a) wanted to challenge yourself a bit, b) you like finger food, and c) you just can’t bear to put out Costco plastic forks for people to use only to be thrown away en masse at the end of the evening.  (We can put paper plates and napkins in our yard waste containers here in Seattle.)  Let’s say you needed at least one dish that was easy, looked pretty, and you knew people would gobble up.  Enter tortellini skewers.

This is not rocket science.  You boil up storebought tortellini and skewer it with a stick.  The secret here is two fold.  That little leaf of basil you see tucked between each noodle adds color and a burst of flavor (this was my touch – you’re welcome, Martha.)  And the sauce, which is not pictured, is one of those that taste far better than it’s components would suggest (although they are good components.)  Yes, the tortellini needs to be cooked and skewered just before serving but the sauce can be made the day before, the boiling takes no brain power, and you can let your mom do the assembling.  Thanks Mom!

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One Year Ago: Chilled Roasted Tomato Red Pepper Soup with Mint

Skewered Tortellini
Adapted from Martha Stewart’s Hors d’Oeurvres Handbook
Makes 3 1/2 dozen

Parmesan – Lemon Dip
1 cup crème fraiche
2 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated on the small wholes if a box cheese grater
Grated zest of one lemon and juice of 1 large lemon
5 cloves roasted garlic
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 pounds tortellini
Basil leaves (opal and green basil look especially nice)
Olive oil

1.  In a small mixing bowl, combine the crème fraiche, Parmesan cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic cloves, and salt and pepper to taste.  Set the dip aside until ready to use.  (DT: Can be one day ahead.  Cover and refrigerate.  Bring to room temperature before using.)

2.  Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook the tortellini until just tender.  Drain the pasta and sprinkle with olive oil to prevent sticking.

3.  Put 2 tortellini on small, 6-inch skewers with one leaf small leaf or one large folded leaf basil.  Serve with dipping sauce.


Category: Appetizer, Party Food, Pasta, Quick and Easy
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Heavy on the Veg

July 21, 2009


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Here is something I must tell you…I love vegetables.  I know, big confession from a vegetarian, right?  But there is no rule that says you must love vegetables if you are a vegetarian.  After all, cheese is vegetarian – as is bread, pasta, chocolate, french fries…you get the picture.  But I am a card carrying member of the vegetarians-who-love-vegetables club.  The only one I don’t like is okra.

Once in a while, I want to make something really heavy on the veg.  Summer time is when it usually hits me.  I’m in the mood for something flavorful, but don’t want anything too heavy.  It just doesn’t feel right to eat a big dish of something rich when the sun is shining, the temperatures are soaring, and it’s light until 10.  On of those days, vegetables are where it’s at.

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This recipe comes from one of my all-time favorite cookbooks, Vegetarian Suppers from Deborah Madison’s Kitchen.  It is a slim and modest volume, but there are incredible treasure inside.  I’ve used this book so much that some of the pages have torn away from the spine.  I made this dish a few years ago, made some notes in my book about changes I made, and was glad to have those notes last night.  At first glance, this may seem like an overly fussy recipe.  Lots of chopping and cooking things separately.  I actually streamlined a few things from the original and the recipe below reflects that.  Please trust Ms. Madison and trust me – any fuss is worth it.  What you will get is a perfectly cooked and perfectly seasoned bowl of seasonal and healthy goodness.

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Oh…and that gorgeous Olive Bread off to the side in the photo?  You can find the recipe here.
One Year Ago:  Those amazing New York Times chocolate chip cookies

Asparagus Ragout
Adapted (with many changes) from Vegetarian Suppers from Deborah Madison’s Kitchen
Serves 4

The Beurre Blanc
1/4 cup white wine vinegar or Champagne vinegar
1/4 cup dry white wine or Champagne
2 tbsp. finely diced shallot
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tbsp. cold butter, cut into small pieces

The Ragout
1 bunch rainbow chard, with stems
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
4 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced on a diagonal
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 pound asparagus, tough ends snapped off, cut into 2 inch lengths
1/2 pound snap or snow peas, trimmed
3/4 cup freshly shelled English peas
1 pound cremini mushrooms, wiped clean, and cut into quarters
8 ounces cheese tortellini, cooked according to package directions, and drained
2 tbsp. minced chervil, or a mixture of parsley and tarragon
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

1.  To make the beurre blanc, put the vinegar, wine, shallot, and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan and simmer until only 2 tablespoons remain.  Turn off the heat and whisk in the butter piece by piece until it is all incorporated.  The sauce should be thick.  Season with a little pepper and set aside.  (This can be made several hours ahead and covered, at room temperature.)

2.  To make the ragout, slice the leaves off the chard stems, wash well, then cut into ribbons about an inch wide.  Trim the ends of the stems, then thinly slice.  Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add about 2 tbsp. olive oil, then the stems with a pinch of salt.  Sauté, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes.  Lay the leaves on top (it may seem crowded at first) and continue stirring until the leaves wilt, about 4 more minutes.  Scrape out the pan into a large bowl and set aside.

3.  Return the same pan to the heat.  Add another few tablespoons of olive oil, then add the mushrooms.  Sauté until the mushrooms have browned nicely, then released and partially reabsorbed their juices, about 8 minutes.  Season to taste with salt and pepper and add to the bowl with the chard.

4.  Return the same pan to the heat.  Add another few tablespoons of olive oil.  Add the onion and carrots.  Cook over medium-high heat for a few minutes just to brown things a bit, then reduce the heat to medium.  Add the wine, let most of it sizzle away, then add 1 cup water and the asparagus.  Season with a pinch of salt, then lower the heat even more, cover, and cook until the asparagus and carrots are nearly tender, about 6 minutes.  Add the snap and English peas, cover, cook for another 3 minutes.  Add the tortellini, mushrooms, and chard.  Stir to heat through.

5.  Carefully stir in the beurre blanc and the herbs.  Serve the ragout in shallow bowls, garnished with a dusting of Parmesan cheese.


Category: Cookbooks, Main Course, Pasta
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