Festive Fusilli Recipes

CHUNKY VEGETABLES WITH FUSILLI

Steps:

• In 6-quart Dutch oven, cook pasta as directed on package; drain and set aside.
• In Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add capers and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is golden. Stir in tomatoes and chili. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in pasta, olives, oregano and basil. Cover; simmer 10 minutes. Serve with pepper.

FUSILLI WITH CHICKEN AND PEPPERS

Steps:

• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pastaaccording to package instructions. Reserve1/2 cup pasta water. Drain pasta and return to pot.
• Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 2 teaspoons oilover medium-high. Pat chicken dry with papertowels and season with salt and pepper. Cook chickenuntil golden and cooked through, about 2 minutesper side, flipping once. Transfer to a plate and let rest5 minutes. With two forks, shred chicken.
• Wipe out skillet and heat 2 teaspoons oil overmedium-high. Add bell peppers and onion, seasonwith salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally,until vegetables are lightly browned and softened,about 15 minutes. Stir in parsley. Add vegetables andchicken to pasta. Toss, adding enough pastawater to coat pasta, and season with salt and pepper.To serve, drizzle with oil.

MEAN GREEN FUSILLI

Steps:

• Cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to the package instructions.
• Meanwhile, place a skillet over medium-high heat and add the butter. When the butter has melted, add the chiles, garlic, onion and jalapeno. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes to start softening the onions. Add the cilantro, broth and wine. Turn up the heat and cook for 3 minutes until the sauce has boiled and reduced slightly.
• Drain the pasta and stir it into the sauce. Add the cream, then the Monterey Jack. Stir to coat the pasta and add salt and pepper. When the cheese has melted into the sauce and everything is combined, serve with a sprinkle of cilantro.

SOUTHWEST FUSILLI WITH TOMATOES, GARLIC AND CHILIES

Steps:

• Prepare tomatoes:
• Bring medium pot of water to boil. Fill medium bowl with cold water and place on work surface close to pot. Cut shallow X through skin at bottom of tomatoes. Working in batches, add tomatoes to boiling water and cook 30 seconds to blanch. Using slotted spoon, transfer each batch of tomatoes to cold water to cool quickly
• Using small sharp knife as aid and starting at X on bottom, pull skin off tomatoes. Using same knife, make neat sone-shaped incision around core at stem end of each tomato; remove cores. Cut tomatoes in half crosswise; squeeze out seeds. Cut tomatoes into small dice and place in large bowl. Season with salt.
• Make fresh tomato sauce:
• Heat oil in heavy medium skillet over high heat. Add garlic and sauté just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour garlic oil over tomatoes and toss to blend. Mix in cilantro, onion, lime juice, chilies, tomato paste and chili powder. (Can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)
• Make pasta:
• Cook fusilli in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain fusilli well. Add fusilli and half of cheese to tomato sauce; toss to blend. Season pasta to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer past to large shallow serving bowl. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve.

FUSILLI AS MADE BY LADIES OF THE EVENING

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for pasta. When the sauce is about halfway done, stir the pasta into the boiling water.
• Heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Toss in the garlic, and cook until it sizzles and is just golden around the edges, about 2 minutes. Add peperoncino, let toast a minute, then add the tomatoes. Slosh out the tomato can with 1 cup pasta water, add it to the skillet, and stir. Season with the 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir in the tuna and olives, bring the sauce to a simmer, and cook until thickened, about 10 minutes. Add the capers and parsley, and simmer a few minutes more.
• When pasta is al dente, transfer the pasta to the sauce with tongs. Cook and toss the pasta in the sauce until all of the pasta is coated. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and toss again. Remove from heat, and toss with the grated cheese. Serve immediately.

FUSILLI WITH BACON, ONIONS, AND MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• While bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil, heat oil and bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until bacon fat is rendered and bacon is golden brown, about 8 minutes. Add onion and a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 8 minutes.
• Pushing onion and bacon to edge of skillet, add mushrooms to center, in a single layer as much as possible. Raise heat to medium-high, and cook, without stirring, until mushrooms begin to sizzle and brown, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, sprinkle mushrooms with salt, and stir onion and bacon into mushrooms. Cook mixture, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are tender, about 3 minutes.
• When water boils, add pasta to boiling water, and cook until almost al dente, about 10 minutes (do not drain water). Transfer pasta to skillet using a strainer. Reduce heat to low, and gradually stir in 1 cup pasta water, about 1/2 cup at a time. Toss over low heat until sauce is silky and pasta is well coated, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Turn off heat. Stir in mint or parsley, and half the cheese. Season with pepper. Divide among 4 bowls, and top with remaining cheese.

FESTIVE FUSILLI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450º F.
• Cook pasta according to directions, adding broccoli when 3 minutes of cooking time remain.
• Peel and smash garlic with side of chef's knife. Toss tomatoes with garlic, oil, and ¼ t. salt. Spread mixture in jelly-roll pan. Roast 15 minutes or until tomatoes wrinkle and begin to burst, stirring halfway through cooking time.
• Reserve ½ cup pasta cooking water; drain pasta and broccoli. Add reserved pasta cooking water to tomatoes, stirring to scrape up browned bits. Return pasta and broccoli to saucepot; stir in tomato mixture, cheese, ½ t. salt and ¼ t. freshly ground black pepper.

FESTIVE FUSILLI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Heat large covered saucepot of salted water to boiling on high. Add pasta and cook as label directs, adding broccoli when 3 minutes of cooking time remain.
• Meanwhile, in bowl, toss tomatoes with garlic, oil, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Spread tomato mixture in 15 1/2" by 10 1/2" jelly-roll pan, and roast 15 minutes or until tomatoes wrinkle and begin to burst, stirring halfway through cooking time.
• Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water; drain pasta and broccoli. Add reserved pasta water to jelly-roll pan, stirring to scrape up any browned bits. Return pasta and broccoli to saucepot; stir in tomato mixture, Romano, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper.