Fusilli Alla Carlo Recipes

FUSILLI ALLA CAPRESE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta into a large bowl and reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.
• In a medium skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper. As the tomatoes cook and soften, smash them with a fork. Continue to cook until the tomatoes make a chunky style sauce, about 4 minutes. Transfer the tomato sauce to the bowl with the pasta. Toss to combine. Add the basil leaves and mozzarella. Stir to combine. Add the reserved pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time, until the pasta is moist. Serve.

FUSILLI WITH GARLICKY BROCCOLI

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Add salt and then add the pasta. Cook according to the package directions. After 6 minutes, add the broccoli to the pot with the pasta. Once the pasta is al dente, reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta and broccoli in a colander.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over very low heat. Add the garlic and saute just until it begins to sizzle (do not let it brown). Turn the garlic and continue to cook, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the paprika and season with salt and pepper; stir to arrest the browning. If the garlic appears to be coloring, stir it sooner. Continue to cook until the smaller pieces of garlic become golden.
• Add the pasta and broccoli to the garlic oil. Toss together until combined. Add the butter and stir to melt. Add the cheese and stir again. Moisten the pasta, if necessary, with the reserved pasta water. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with cheese and serve immediately.

FUSILLI ALLA CARLO

Steps:

• Put the butter, pancetta and mushrooms in a large skillet and saute until golden. Add the tomatoes and toss everything together. Add the cream and simmer over medium heat until the cream is thick and coats the back of a spoon, about 5 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water. (The ratio is 1 teaspoon of salt to 1 quart of water.) Drain the pasta but do not shake all the water out; it should be moist, not wet. (See note.).
• Toss the pasta, pine nuts and Parmesan in a large, warm bowl. Add the sauce and mix again. Serve in warmed pasta plates or basin-shaped plates. Sprinkle on the pecorino cheese and add a bit more pepper to garnish.
• Pass more cheese at the table.

FUSILLI WITH CARROTS, PEAS, AND MINT

Steps:

• In a skillet cook the bread crumbs in 1 tablespoon of the oil over moderate heat, stirring, until they are golden and crisp and transfer them to a small bowl. In the skillet cook the shallot in the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until it is softened, add the peas and the broth, and simmer the mixture, stirring, for 3 minutes. Stir in the carrots, simmer the mixture, for 2 minutes, or until the carrots are just tender, and stir in the cream and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer the mixture until the liquid is reduced by about one fourth, remove the sauce from the heat, and keep it warm. In a kettle of boiling salted water cook the fusilli until it is al dente, drain it well, and in a bowl toss it with the sauce, half of the bread crumbs, and the mint. Divide the fusilli between 2 soup bowls and top it with the remaining bread crumbs.