Pasta Abruzzese Recipes

PASTA ABRUZZESE

Steps:

• Heat a deep skillet over med-high heat; add in the sausage, breaking it up and browning the crumbles.
• Remove sausage to a bowl lined with paper towels; let stand to drain; return pan to heat.
• To pan, add onion, fennel, and garlic; cook 5 minutes, giving the pan a shake now and then.
• Add in broth and tomatoes; heat through.
• Dump sausage back into pan and add parsley; stir while bringing to a boil.
• When sauce bubbles, decrease heat to low and let simmer until the pasta is ready to toss with the sauce and serve.

TIMBALLO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Cook the pasta sheets in boiling, salted water until al dente. Shock the pasta in cold water. Lay the pasta out onto a clean kitchen towel and dry.
• Take 1/2 of the melted butter and coat the bottom a 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan. Place a layer of pasta to cover bottom of pan. Ladle a thin layer of tomato sauce over the pasta, and sprinkle with 1/4 of the mozzarella. Add another layer of pasta sheets over the cheese. Ladle a thin layer of bechamel sauce over the pasta. Sprinkle 1/4 of the ground veal and 1/4 of the Parmigiano evenly over the bechamel. Repeat layering, until there are 3 layers of each. Add the final layer of fresh pasta and cover top layer with the remaining mozzarella, veal, Parmigiano and tomato sauce. Finally, ladle the remaining 1/4 cup of melted butter over the top and cover the pan with aluminum foil.
• Bake approximately 30 minutes. Let stand for about 10 minutes before serving.
• Saute the onion in olive oil until brown. Add the tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Crush tomatoes with a fork as they soften. Season with salt and pepper and add basil. Simmer for about 1 hour.
• Bring the milk to a simmer in a saucepot. In a saute pan, combine the melted butter with the flour to make roux. Whisk the milk into the roux. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Melt the butter in a saute pan. Add the veal and cook until brown and cooked through. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Drain off excess liquid and set aside.

HOW TO COOK PERFECT PASTA

Steps:

• Always use a very large cooking pot, making sure you have at least 4 pints (2.25 litres) of water to every 8 oz (225 g) of pasta, with 1 level tablespoon of salt added. Before the pasta goes in make sure the water is up to a good fierce boil.
• Add the pasta as quickly as possible and stir it around just once to separate it.
• If you're cooking long pasta like spaghetti, push it against the base of the pan and, as you feel it give, keep pushing until it all collapses down into the water.
• You don't need to put a lid on the pan: if it's really boiling briskly it will come back to the boil in seconds and, if you put a lid on, it will boil over.
• Put a timer on and give it 10-12 minutes for top-quality pasta, but because this timing varies according to the shape and quality of the pasta, the only real way to tell is to taste it. So do this after 8 minutes, then 9, and 10, and so on. This only applies when you cook a particular brand for the first time. After that you will always know how long it takes. Sometimes you can give it 1 minute's less boiling and then allow an extra minute's cooking while you combine it with the sauce.
• Have a colander ready in the sink then, as you are draining the water, swirl it around the colander, which will heat it ready for the hot pasta. Don't drain it too thoroughly: it's good to have a few drops of moisture still clinging as this prevents the pasta from becoming dry.
• Place the colander containing the pasta back over the saucepan to catch any drips.
• Always serve the pasta on deep warmed plates to keep it as hot as possible as it goes to the table.
• For spaghetti, the very best way to serve it is to use pasta tongs, and always lift it high to quickly separate each portion from the rest.
• Always work quickly, as pasta won't hang around - if it cools it goes sticky and gluey, so drain it quickly, serve it quickly and eat it quickly.
• You can drizzle a little olive oil in the drained pasta to prevent sticking.

PASTA AND BEANS

Steps:

• In a medium size saucepan heat the olive oil. Saute onion until tender. Stir in tomatoes and entire can of beans. Let simmer for 10 minutes.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add penne pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
• Mix pasta with bean mixture and salt as desired.