You can almost feel sorry for pasta sauces that are not made with tomatoes. They are ignored, forgotten, belittled. Though endless in variety, they are like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Pasta: They don’t get to play any non-tomato pasta-sauce games.
So this week, I decided to take a look at these unsung heroes, the panoply of pasta sauces that are made without tomatoes.
I wanted the sauces I made to be quick and simple, too. Nothing too strenuous; I wanted them to be sauces you could whip up while you are getting the water ready to boil for the pasta.
Non-tomato sauces can be loaded with seafood, vegetables, nuts and herbs; they can be made with olive oil, butter or cream.
SPAGHETTINI WITH OIL AND GARLIC (SPAGHETTINI AGLIO E OLIO)
1 lb. spaghettini, vermicelli or thin spaghetti
5 T. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
6 to 8 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
1/2 t. crushed red pepper, or more to taste
1/2 c. chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 c. freshly grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, optional
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Stir the spaghettini into the boiling water. Return to a boil, stirring frequently, and cook, semi-covered, until the pasta is tender but still very firm, about 6 minutes for spaghettini or vermicelli and 7 minutes for thin spaghetti.
Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, shaking the skillet, until pale golden, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, and add the crushed red pepper. Ladle about 1 1/2 cups of the pasta-cooking water into the sauce, then add the parsley, the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and salt to taste, and bring to a boil.
Fish out the pasta with a large wire skimmer or tongs and drop it directly into the sauce in the skillet. Bring the sauce and pasta to a simmer, tossing to coat pasta with sauce. Cook about 1 minute. Remove the skillet from the heat and toss in the grated cheese, if using. Check the seasoning, adding salt and crushed red pepper if necessary. Serve immediately in warm bowls. Makes 6 servings.
(Adapted from “Lidia’s Favorite Recipes” by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali.)
LEMON PASTA
12 oz. egg noodles
2 lemons
1 c. heavy cream
Salt and pepper
Heat a large pot of salted water to a boil, and add the noodles. Cook according to package directions until tender. Drain and return to pot.
Meanwhile, remove the zest from 1 lemon and cut into thin strips about 1 inch long. Juice both lemons. Pour the cream into a small saucepan, add the zest, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, about 2 minutes. Pour this sauce over the cooked noodles, add the lemon juice, and cook, stirring, until all of the liquid is absorbed. Taste, and add more salt and especially pepper, if desired. Makes 4 servings.
CACIO E PEPE
1 lb. pasta, your choice
Salt
1 c. grated Pecorino Romano, plus more as needed for serving
1/2 c. extra-virgin olive oil
2 t. black pepper, plus more if needed
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and stir to submerge and separate the pieces. Cook uncovered until the pasta is just tender (al dente), according to the instructions on the package. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water for finishing your sauce.
Drain the pasta in a colander. Pour the drained pasta into a heated serving bowl. Add the cheese, oil and pepper. Stir until the ingredients are evenly distributed. Add about 1/4 cup of the reserved cooking water to moisten the pasta slightly — it should appear creamy, not oily. If necessary, add a bit more of the pasta water.
Taste, and stir in more pepper if needed (pepper should be one of the main flavors). Serve immediately, with additional cheese on the side. Makes 6 servings.
(Adapted from “Pasta” by Gianni Scappin, Alberto Vanoli and Francesco Tonelli.)
PAPPARDELLE WITH BROCCOLI RABE AND MUSHROOMS
3 T. olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 sprig rosemary, about 4 inches long
12 oz. mushrooms, preferably a variety, sliced
1 bunch broccoli rabe (also called rapini), trimmed of tough stems
12 oz. dried pappardelle or dried egg fettucine
1/2 c. freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat the olive oil in a heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and rosemary, and cook until the garlic is fragrant and the rosemary starts to sizzle, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until they start to brown, about 10 minutes; shake the pan and stir often. Remove from the heat and keep warm.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli rabe and simmer until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove the broccoli rabe and set aside (keep the water boiling). Add the pasta to the same boiling water and cook until al dente, according to the instructions on the package. Drain the pasta, leaving a little water clinging to it.
Add the pasta, broccoli rabe and cheese to the skillet with the mushrooms and toss together. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve.
(Recipe from “The Rose Pistola Cookbook” by Reed Hearon and Peggy Knickerbocker.)
SPAGHETTI WITH CAPERS
4 T. olive oil
2 or 3 anchovy fillets
2 garlic cloves, peeled but whole
2 T. capers, rinsed
12 oz. spaghetti
Heat the oil in a pan, add the anchovy and garlic, and cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until the anchovies have dissolved and the garlic has turned golden brown. This will take several minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat, discard the garlic and add the capers. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a large pot of salted, boiling water until al dente, then drain, toss with the sauce and serve. Makes 4 servings.
(Adapted from “The Silver Spoon,” which has no listed author.)
NUTTY PASTA
2 oz. almonds
2 oz. pine nuts
2 oz. shelled pistachios
Leaves from 1 bunch parsley
Leaves from 1 bunch mint
12 oz. spaghetti
3 T. olive oil
Parmesan cheese, for grating
Zest from 1/2 orange, optional
Put the almonds, pine nuts, pistachio, parsley and mint into a food processor and chop until fine but not completely pulverized — it should still have a bit of texture.
Cook the spaghetti in boiling water until al dente, according to the package directions. Drain. Toss with the nut paste, olive oil, cheese and zest, if using. Serve immediately. Makes 6 servings.
(Adapted from “French Taste” by Laura Calder.)
The Link LonkNovember 11, 2020 at 05:29PM
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6 great pasta sauces – hold the tomatoes - Boston Herald
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