Bucatini Pasta Recipes Lidias

BUCATINI WITH CHANTRELLES, SPRING PEAS, AND PROSCIUTTO

Steps:

• If using fresh peas, parboil them in salted water for 3 to 5 minutes. Drain them and set aside.
• Trim the tough ends and wilted spots from the mushrooms. Wipe them clean, or wash them quickly and air dry them. Slice thinly and set aside.
• Bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Crush the garlic cloves and add them along with the prosciutto in the skillet. Cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms, and season with salt and pepper, and cook until wilted, about 7 minutes. Add the tomatoes, season, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium, and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the peas and chopped parsley, and cook until peas are tender, about 3 minutes.
• While the sauce is simmering, cook the bucatini in boiling water. Stirring frequently, cook pasta for 10 minutes.
• To serve, drain pasta, and return to pot. Add approximately 3/4 of the sauce to the pasta and bring to a boil. Season pasta with salt and pepper. Remove pot from heat and add the grated Parmesan to pasta and stir. Transfer pasta to a large platter, top with remaining sauce, and serve immediately.

BUCATINI ALL'AMATRICIANA

Steps:

• Coat a large saucepan with olive oil. Add the guanciale and saute over low heat. Cook until it is brown and crispy and has rendered a lot of fat. Remove and reserve 1/3 of the guanciale for garnish. Bring the pan to a medium heat and add the onions and crushed red pepper. Season generously with salt, to taste. Cook the onions until they are translucent, starting to turn golden and are very aromatic. Add the tomatoes and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer the sauce for about 1 hour, tasting periodically. Adjust the salt, as needed.
• Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook for 1 minute less than the instructions on the package. Remove 3 or 4 ladlefuls of the sauce from the pot to a bowl, as an insurance policy. You can always add it back in but it's harder to take out once the pasta is in the pan. You're looking for the perfect ratio between pasta and sauce. Drain the pasta from the water and add to the pot of sauce. Stir to coat with the sauce. This is how you always finish pasta; you cook it in the sauce to perform the marriage of the pasta and the sauce. Add more sauce, if necessary. Add in the cheese and drizzle with olive oil to really bring the marriage together. Toss to coat and serve in shallow bowls garnished with cheese and the reserved guanciale. Sprinkle with chives to finish, if using.
• YUUUMMMEEEEE!

BUCATINI WITH TOASTED BREAD CRUMBS

Steps:

• Cut off the crust of the bread chunk, and with your fingers tear the interior of the bread into irregular shreds, 1/4 inch or a bit larger-big enough to crunch nicely when toasted. For a pound of pasta, shred 2 full cups of the rough crumbs.
• Heat at least 6 quarts of water, with 1 tablespoon salt, to a rolling boil in the big pot, and add the bucatini. Bring it back to the boil, and cook, partially covered, until al dente.
• As soon as the pasta is in the pot, pour 1/2 cup olive oil into the big skillet, set over medium-high heat, and scatter in the garlic slices. Cook for a couple of minutes, until the garlic is sizzling and fragrant but still pale. Drop in the torn bread crumbs, and stir and tumble them over to coat with oil. Keep tossing as they start to toast and color, sprinkle the oregano over the pot, and continue stirring and tossing. Lower the heat to avoid burning, and as soon as the crumbs and garlic slices are deep gold and crisp, turn off the heat.
• Meanwhile, keep checking the pasta for doneness. As soon as it is cooked al dente, lift out the bucatini with tongs and a spider, let the water drain off for just a second or two, then drop it into the skillet.
• Turn the heat up a bit, and immediately toss the pasta with the bread crumbs and garlic. Sprinkle on 1/2 teaspoon salt, and keep tossing. If the crumbs absorbed all the oil and the pasta seems dry, drizzle over them 2 or more tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, and toss well. Taste, and season with more salt if needed. Finally, sprinkle on the parsley (and grated Canestrato Pugliese, if you have it, or other pecorino), toss, and serve right away.

BUCATINI WITH ONION, BACON, AND TOMATO

Steps:

• Drain the canned tomatoes; save all the juices. Cut each tomato in quarters lengthwise; slice the quarters in strips, 1/2 inch wide.
• Start heating 6 quarts of water with 1 tablespoon of salt in a large pot, to cook the bucatini.
• Put 1/2 cup water in the wide skillet, and set it over medium-high heat. Dump in the sliced onions; spread them out and turn them over in the pan as the water starts to boil. Cook the onions, turning occasionally, for several minutes, until they're softened and the water is nearly evaporated.
• Pour the olive oil over the onions, toss in the crushed garlic cloves, and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir well to coat all the onion slices with oil; cook for a couple of minutes or more, until onions and garlic are sizzling.
• Clear a space on one side of the skillet and scatter in the cured pork (guanciale, pancetta, or bacon). Heat and stir in the hot spot until they're rendering fat and sizzling, then stir in with the onions. Sprinkle the peperoncino in the pan, stir, and let everything cook for 4 or 5 minutes, until the onions and pork are caramelized and golden-adjust the heat so nothing burns.
• Now spill all the sliced tomatoes and their juices into the skillet, and stir well. Rinse the tomato containers with a couple cups of "slosh" water, and stir that in too; season with salt lightly. Bring the sauce to a boil, stirring frequently, and then lower the heat to keep it simmering actively. Let the sauce cook and thicken for about 20 minutes, or until it has the consistency you like for pasta. (If you're pressed for time, concentrate the sauce at a boil, stirring frequently.)
• When the tomatoes have been added and the sauce is simmering, you can start cooking the bucatini. (If you prefer, prepare the sauce ahead of time. Stop cooking when nearly thickened and let it cool. Return it to the simmer as your pasta cooks.)
• With the water at a rolling boil, slide the bucatini into the pasta pot, letting the strands soften so they don't break, and fanning them out so they don't stick together. Stir well, cover the pot to bring the water back to the boil over high heat, then cook partially covered.
• Stir the bucatini occasionally, and check doneness frequently. When the sauce has thickened, taste it and adjust seasoning-keep in mind that the Pecorino Romano will add salt.
• When the bucatini are cooked through but still al dente, lift them from the cooking pot with tongs, drain for just a moment, then drop them right onto the simmering sauce. Toss together continuously, over moderate heat, for a couple of minutes, until the pasta is perfectly cooked and evenly coated with sauce. If the dish is dry, ladle in a bit of hot pasta water from the cooking pot. If the sauce is soupy, toss over higher heat to concentrate.
• Turn off the heat, and toss in the grated cheese. Drizzle over it a final flourish of olive oil, and serve, either directly from the skillet or in a warm serving bowl, passing additional cheese at the table.

BUCATINI WITH CHANTERELLES, SPRING PEAS, AND PROSCIUTTO

Steps:

• If using fresh peas, parboil them in a small saucepan of boiling salted water until softened, 3-5 minutes; drain and set aside.
• Trim the tough ends and wilted spots from the mushrooms.
• Wipe them clean with a damp paper towel; slice them thin and set aside.
• Bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil in an 8-quart pot over high heat.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
• Whack the garlic cloves with the flat side of a knife and add them along with the prosciutto to the oil.
• Cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes.
• Stir in the mushrooms, season them lightly with salt and pepper, , and cook, stirring, until they are lightly browned and wilted, about 7 minutes.
• Pour in the tomatoes, season them lightly with salt and pepper, and bring the sauce to a boil.
• Lower heat so the sauce is at a lively simmer and cook 5 minutes.
• Stir in the peas and chopped parsley into the sauce and cook until the peas are tender, about 3 minutes.
• While the sauce is simmering, stir the bucatini into the boiling water; return to a boil, stirring frequently.
• Cook the pasta, semi-covered, stirring occasionally, until done, about 10 minutes.
• Drain the pasta, return it to the pot, and pour in about 3/4 of the sauce.
• Bring the sauce and pasta to a boil, tossing to coat the pasta with sauce.
• Check the seasoning, adding salt and pepper if needed.
• Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the grated cheese.
• Transfer the pasta to a warm platter, top with the remaining sauce, and serve immediately.

BUCATINI ALL'AMATRICIANA

Steps:

• Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in bucatini and return to a boil. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until bucatini is tender, about 11 minutes. Drain.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic cloves; cook until golden brown, about 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and discard. Add guanciale; cook and stir until crisp and golden, about 4 minutes. Add onion and red pepper flakes; cook and stir until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, salt, and black pepper. Simmer tomato sauce until flavors combine, about 10 minutes.
• Stir bucatini and Pecorino Romano cheese into tomato sauce and toss until evenly coated.

BUCATINI WITH PANCETTA, TOMATO, AND ONION

Steps:

• Pass the tomatoes and their liquid through a food mill fitted with the fine disc; set aside.
• Bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil in an 8-quart pot.
• In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over med-high heat; add in onion; cook/stir until wilted, about 4 minutes.
• Stir in the pancetta; cook 2 minutes.
• Add in the hot red peppers and the tomatoes; bring to a boil.
• Adjust the heat to a simmer and season lightly with salt; cook/stir occasionally until the sauce is thickened, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, stir the bucatini into the boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally, until done, about 12 minutes.
• Check the seasoning of the sauce, adding salt if necessary (remember the Pecorino is mildly salty).
• Reserve about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water; drain pasta, return it to the pot, and pour in half the sauce.
• Bring the sauce and pasta to a boil and drizzle in the remaining 3 tablespoons oil.
• Add some of the pasta cooking water, if necessary, to make enough sauce to coat the pasta lightly.
• Check seasoning again and add salt if necessary.
• Remove pan from heat; stir in 1 cup grated cheese, and transfer to a large heated serving platter or bowl.
• Spoon the remaining sauce over the top and pass additional grated cheese separately, if desired.

BUCATINI ALL'AMATRICIANA

Steps:

• Cut the pancetta or prosciutto into chunks less than one-half inch thick. Place in a saucepan with the olive oil and fry over low heat for 15 minutes, until all the fat has been rendered out and the meat is very crisp. Remove the meat from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.
• Add the onion to the pan and saute over medium heat for five minutes.
• Drain the tomatoes, finely chop them and add to the onion in the pan. Season with red-pepper flakes and salt and pepper to taste and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of cold water to a boil and add salt to taste. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 9 to 12 minutes, depending on the brand. Drain well.
• Transfer the cooked sauce to a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pasta and the reserved meat and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Remove the skillet from the heat, add the cheese and mix very well. Transfer the pasta to a warm platter and serve immediately.