Linguine Recipes

LEMON LINGUINE

Steps:

• Fill just about the biggest pot you have with water and bring to a boil. When friends are coming for lunch, get the water heated to boiling point before they arrive, otherwise you end up nervously hanging around waiting for a watched pot to boil while your supposedly quick lunch gets later and later. Bring the water to the boil, cover and turn off burner.
• I tend to leave the addition of salt until the water comes to a boil a second time. But whichever way you do it, add quite a bit of salt. When the bubbling's encouragingly fierce, put in the pasta. I often put the lid on for a moment or so just to let the pasta get back to the boil, but don't turn your back on it, and give it a good stir with a pasta fork or whatever to avoid even the suspicion of stickiness, once you've removed the lid.
• Then get on with the sauce, making sure you've set your timer for about a minute or so less than the time specified on the package of pasta.
• In a bowl, add the yolks, cream, Parmesan, zest of the whole lemon and juice of half of it, the salt and good grind of pepper, and beat with a fork. You don't want it fluffy, just combined. Taste. If you want it more lemony, then of course add more juice.
• When the timer goes off, taste to judge how near the pasta is to being ready. I recommend that you hover by the stove so you don't miss that point. Don't be too hasty, though. Everyone is so keen to cook their pasta properly al dente that sometimes the pasta is actually not cooked enough. You want absolutely no chalkiness here. And linguine (or at least I find it so) tend not to run over into soggy overcookedness quite as quickly as other long pasta. This makes sense, of course, as the strands of "little tongues" are dense than the flat ribbon shapes.
• Anyway, as soon as the pasta looks ready, remove a cup of the cooking liquid, drain the pasta, and then, off the heat, toss it back in the pot or put it in an efficiently preheated bowl, throw in the butter, and stir and swirl about to make sure the butter's melted and the pasta covered by it all over. Each strand will be only mutely gleaming, as there's not much butter and quite a bit of pasta. If you want to add more, then do; good butter is the best flavoring, best texture, best mood enhancer there is.
• When you're satisfied the pasta's covered with its soft slip of butter, then stir in the egg mixture and turn the pasta well in it, adding some of the cooking liquid if it looks a bit dry (only 2 tablespoons or so - you don't want a wet mess - and only after you think the sauce is incorporated). Sprinkle over the parsley and serve now, now, now.

LINGUINE WITH SEAFOOD

Steps:

• Set a large, 1-gallon stockpot filled with water to a boil and season with 2 tablespoons of the salt. Add the linguine to the pot and stir until the water returns to a boil.
• Once the pasta is cooked, but still slightly firm, or al dente, remove from the heat and drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water separately. Place the linguine in a large, warmed bowl and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Wrap with plastic and set aside as you finish the sauce.
• While the linguine cooks, make the sauce. Set a large, 14-inch saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil and the onions. Saute the onions until lightly caramelized, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic, Essence and red pepper flakes to the pan. Toast the garlic until browned, about 30 to 45 seconds. Add the white wine to the pan and cook until nearly completely reduced, about 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, reserved pasta cooking water, and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt to the pan. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the shrimp, clams, mussels and basil to the pan, cover, and cook until the clams and mussels open, about 4 to 5 minutes. Toss to combine, and remove the sauce from the stove. Add the pasta sauce and parsley to the cooked pasta and toss to combine. Serve with Parmesan for garnishing.

LINGUINE WITH GARLIC AND OIL

Steps:

• Cook Linguine following the package directions.
• Saute sliced garlic cloves (Adding more garlic if you like)in olive oil, over medium heat until golden brown, remove garlic, and set aside.
• Add dry pepper flakes cook for an additional minute.
• Add parsley and salt, cook 1 more minute.
• Add cooked linguine, toss in garlic, arrange on heated serving platter, and sprinkle with black pepper.
• Serve with grated cheese and a nice loaf of Crusty Italian bread.

LINGUINE WITH BEEF AND ONIONS

Steps:

• In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-low. Add onion, carrot, and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until onion and carrot are tender, about 10 minutes.
• Add beef, stirring to combine. Add broth, and simmer until meat is almost falling apart and liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente according to package directions. Drain; transfer to a large bowl. Add sauce and Parmesan, and toss well. Divide among serving bowls; top with more cheese, if desired.

SEAFOOD LINGUINE

Steps:

• Heat wine in a large Dutch oven over medium-high until simmering. Add cockles and mussels, cover pot, and cook until shellfish have opened, about 5 minutes. (Discard any unopened ones.) Using a slotted spoon, remove shellfish and transfer to a bowl. Shuck half of mussels; discard shells. Cover shellfish with foil to keep warm. Strain liquid through a fine-mesh sieve. (You should have about 1 cup broth.)
• Wipe Dutch oven clean with a paper towel. Heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high, swirling to coat bottom. Pat scallops dry with a paper towel; season with salt and pepper. Add to Dutch oven and cook, flipping once, until golden brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate; loosely cover with foil.
• Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to pan drippings in Dutch oven; reduce heat to medium. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Add red-pepper flakes and tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1 to 2 minutes. Add shellfish broth and cook, scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon, until mixture is reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes with their juices and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add shrimp and squid and cook, stirring occasionally, until just cooked through and shrimp are bright pink, about 2 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package instructions in a large pot of generously salted water. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta water. Toss pasta with tomato sauce, adding pasta water to adjust consistency until creamy. Gently stir in cockles and mussels, reserving a few for garnish if desired. Transfer to a large serving platter; top with scallops and reserved shellfish, if using. Sprinkle with parsley, drizzle with oil, and serve.

GARLIC-HERB LINGUINE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook linguine at a boil until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes; drain and transfer pasta to a large bowl.
• Mix melted butter, garlic, and parsley in a small bowl; drizzle over the linguine and toss to coat. Season pasta with seasoned salt.

LINGUINE WITH LEMON SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring a pot of salted water to boil.
• Heat the butter in a skillet and add the lemon zest.
• Drop the linguine into the boiling water. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.
• Add the cream to the butter and lemon zest mixture. Add the pasta and lemon juice and stir until just heated through. Add the Parmesan and toss. Serve with additional Parmesan and lemon zest on the side.

LINGUINE WITH FRESH TOMATOES

Steps:

• Cook linguine according to package directions. Meanwhile, place all remaining ingredients except butter in a large bowl., Drain linguine; toss with butter. Add to tomato mixture and toss to combine.

LINGUINI ALFREDO

Steps:

• Cook linguini as directed on box.
• While noodles cook heat butter and garlic in small saucepan over medium heat until butter is melted and garlic is browned.
• Add cream and heat until bubbling.
• Add cheese, parsley, basil, salt and pepper.
• Return drained noodles to kettle. Pour sauce over noodles, stirring gently until all are well coated.

LINGUINE WITH CLAM SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until 2 minutes short of al dente (it will finish cooking in the sauce). Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain pasta.
• While the pasta cooks, make your sauce: Heat the oil in a deep-sided 12-inch skillet over medium. Add the garlic, red-pepper flakes and oregano and cook until the garlic is pale golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the vermouth and simmer until reduced by half, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the clams with their juices and cook until just warmed through, 1 to 2 minutes more. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
• Add the cooked pasta directly to the skillet along with the butter and lemon zest and toss until the butter has melted and the pasta is glossy with sauce. If needed, add 1/4 cup reserved pasta water. Stir in half the parsley.
• Serve pasta topped with a drizzle of olive oil, if desired, and the remaining parsley. Serve lemon wedges alongside if you like.

KIDS' PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Fill a medium saucepan with hot water from the tap until it's three-quarters full. Set the pan on the hob. Season the water with a pinch of salt, then turn the heat to medium-high - the water should start to boil after a minute or so. Slowly tip the pasta into the boiling water - do this carefully, as any splashes could burn your skin.
• Holding the handle of the saucepan with one hand (use a cloth if it's hot), carefully stir the pasta with a long wooden spoon in the other hand - this will prevent the pasta from sticking together. Set a timer for 10 mins. Stir the pasta every minute or so, and keep checking the heat to make sure the water is gently boiling while the timer counts down.
• While the pasta cooks, measure 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar and 1 tsp dried oregano into a mixing bowl. Season with some salt and black pepper, and mix well - this will make a zingy dressing for the pasta.
• When the timer beeps, it's time to check if the pasta is cooked. To do this, scoop one piece of pasta out of the boiling water using the wooden spoon, tip it onto a plate and leave it to cool slightly. Taste the pasta: if it's soft, it's cooked through, but if it's still a little hard in the middle, it needs to cook for a bit longer. Set the timer for another 2 mins, then check again.
• Place a large colander or sieve in the sink. When the pasta is cooked, turn off the heat and, using two hands, carefully carry the saucepan over to the sink and tip the pasta into the colander to drain away the hot water. Leave to cool for a few minutes in the colander, then tip the pasta into the mixing bowl with the dressing. Mix together until the pasta is coated in the dressing.
• Put a chopping board on a work surface. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half by pinching each one between your thumb and index finger, and carefully slicing through the middle of the tomato with a small serrated knife. Slice the pitted olives in the same way, then tip all the tomatoes and olives into the pasta.
• Put the cucumber on the chopping board and cut it in half lengthways. Lay the two halves on the board cut-side down, so they don't roll around. Cut each piece in half again, so you have four long, chunky pieces. Cut across the cucumber pieces in the other direction so you end up with small cucumber triangles. Tip these into the bowl with the pasta, tomatoes and olives.
• Put the onion on the board and hold it securely. Cut off the pointy end, then cut the onion in half through the root end. Peel away the papery outer layers until you're left with just the shiny onion underneath. Lay each onion half on the board, cut-side down so it doesn't roll around. Holding onto the root end, carefully slice the halves into half-moon shapes, as thinly as you can. Stop when you get to the root. Tip the onions into the bowl.
• Crumble the feta cheese into small pieces over the bowl, then gently mix everything together until well combined. Eat straightaway, or chill for up to a day before eating.