Daves Angelhair Pasta Recipes

FIERY ANGEL HAIR PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the angel hair pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 6 to 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.
• Stir the oil, parsley, lemon juice and lemon peel in a large serving bowl. Add the cooked pasta and toss with enough reserved pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time, to moisten. Season the pasta with salt and red pepper flakes, to taste. Sprinkle grated lemon peel over pasta for extra flavor and texture. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and serve.
• Combine the oil and crushed red pepper flakes in a heavy small saucepan. Cook over low heat until a thermometer inserted into the oil registers 180 degrees F, about 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat. Cool to room temperature, about 2 hours. Transfer the oil and pepper flakes to a 4-ounce bottle. Seal the lid. Refrigerate up to 1 month.
• Yield: 2 cups
• Prep Time: 2 minutes
• Cook Time: 5 minutes
• Inactive Prep Time: 2 hours

TOSSED ANGEL HAIR PASTA

Steps:

• Cook the angel hair according to the package instructions. When the pasta is nearly done, heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat and add the lemon zest, salt, and pepper and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/4 cup cooking water, if needed. Remove the infused oil from the heat, add the pasta, and toss to coat, adding pasta cooking water, if needed. Grate just a hint of Parmesan on the pasta before serving.

ANGEL-HAIR PASTA WITH SAUTEED SQUID

Steps:

• Make tomato sauce:
• Cook onion and garlic in oil in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes (with water if using canned) and sea salt and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally (and breaking up tomatoes if using canned), 40 minutes.
• Purée sauce in a blender (use caution when blending hot liquids), then force through a fine sieve into a bowl, discarding solids.
• Prepare squid:
• Finely chop squid tentacles and chill until ready to use for fish stock and pasta. Cut squid bodies open with kitchen shears, then rinse insides well and pat bodies dry. Lay each body flat on a cutting board, interior side up, and cut lengthwise (including flaps) into thin spaghetti-like strips (less than 1/8 inch wide) with a sharp knife. Chill strips, covered, until ready to use.
• Make stock:
• Cook onion, leek greens, and garlic in oil in a 3- to 4-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add fish bones and trimmings and half of chopped tentacles and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until tentacles release their liquid, about 2 minutes. Add water, wine, and sea salt and bring to a simmer, skimming froth. Remove from heat and let stand, uncovered, 15 minutes. Pour stock through fine sieve into a bowl, pressing on and discarding solids.
• Prepare pasta:
• Cook onion and garlic in oil in a deep 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until well softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add remaining chopped tentacles and cook, stirring, until they release their liquid, about 2 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce, 3 cups fish stock, and sea salt and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. (Leftover sauce and stock can be reserved for another use.) Stir in pasta and return to a boil, stirring. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, until pasta is cooked through, about 5 minutes.
• Sauté squid while pasta stands:
• Toss squid strips with sea salt. Heat oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté garlic, stirring, until golden, about 1 minute. Add squid and parsley and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. (Squid will still be partially translucent but will continue to cook from residual heat.)
• Mound squid on top of pasta and serve immediately.

ANGEL HAIR PASTA WITH LEMON AND GARLIC

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat and maintain at a boil.
• Put the olive oil and garlic in a saute pan and cook over medium heat just until the garlic begins to brown.
• Remove the saute pan from the heat and pour in the wine.
• Return it to the heat.
• Cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, until the wine has been reduced by 1/2.
• Stir in the lemon juice and tomato.
• Remove the pan from the heat.
• Place the pasta in the boiling water and cook to desired doneness, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
• Drain the pasta and put it into a warm serving bowl.
• Add the basil, parmesan, and black pepper, along with the tomato mixture.
• Toss and serve immediately.

DELICIOUS ANGEL HAIR PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a rolling boil; cook the angel hair pasta in boiling water until the pasta has cooked through yet firm to the bite, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain.
• Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pimentos, lemon juice, vinegar, sugar, 1 tablespoon parsley, basil, oregano, garlic powder, and onion powder to the oil and stir; cook until the herbs are heated and fragrant. Stir the Parmesan cheese into the mixture. Add the pasta to the skillet and toss to evenly coat with the seasonings. Season with salt and pepper, garnish with remaining parsley, and serve hot.

ANGEL-HAIR PASTA WITH BLACK TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Cook pasta in a large pot of generously salted boiling water until al dente, about 2 minutes less than package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water; drain.
• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add truffle and cook until fragrant. Add pasta and 1/4 cup reserved pasta water. Simmer, tossing a few times, until sauce evenly coats pasta. Season with kosher salt and pepper.
• Divide pasta among serving plates, sprinkle with sea salt, and serve immediately.