Pasta Alla Saxonia Recipes

PASTA ALLA ZOZZONA (RIGATONI WITH SAUSAGE, GUANCIALE, AND EGG YOLKS) RECIPE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, beat egg yolks and Pecorino Romano together with a fork until they form a homogeneous thick paste, about 1 minute. Season with a few grindings of black pepper. Set aside.
• In a large skillet, cook guanciale over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until fat has rendered and guanciale is golden brown and crisp, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Using slotted spoon, transfer guanciale to a plate. Set aside.
• Using clean hands, add sausage to skillet by pinching off 3/4- to 1-inch pieces and arranging in a single layer in the pan. Alternatively, add sausage to skillet all at once, then break up into pieces with a wooden spoon, spreading them out evenly in the pan. Cook over medium heat, undisturbed, until bottom side is light golden brown, about 1 minute. Add onion, season lightly with salt, and, using a thin metal spatula, turn sausage pieces onto uncooked side. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until sausage is cooked through, onion is softened, and fat in the pan is clear and no longer cloudy, 5 to 7 minutes; lower heat at any point if sausage or onion threaten to scorch.
• Add pepper flakes (if using) and bloom in rendered fat until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add tomato passata, season lightly with salt, and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce has thickened slightly and fat has emulsified into sauce, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a pot of lightly salted boiling water, cook pasta until softened on the exterior, but well shy of al dente, and still uncooked in the center (about 3 minutes less than the package directs). Using a spider skimmer, transfer pasta to sauce, along with 1/2 cup (120ml) pasta cooking water. Transfer an additional 1/4 cup (60ml) pasta cooking water to bowl with reserved egg yolk-Pecorino Romano paste, and stir with a rubber spatula until smooth and well-combined; set aside. Alternatively, if you don't have a spider skimmer, drain pasta using a colander or fine-mesh strainer, making sure to reserve at least 1 1/2 cups (355ml) pasta cooking water, before proceeding with above instructions.
• Increase heat to high and cook, stirring and tossing rapidly, until pasta is al dente and sauce is thickened and coats noodles, about 2 minutes, adding more pasta cooking water in 1/4 cup (60ml) increments as needed.
• Remove skillet from heat, add cooked guanciale and egg yolk mixture, and stir and toss rapidly until fully incorporated and pasta is glossy, 15 to 30 seconds. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately, passing more grated cheese at the table.

PASTA ALLA PAMELA WITH SHRIMP AND PEAS

Steps:

• Bring a big pot of water to a boil. Salt liberally.
• In a large bowl, toss the shrimp with 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and the baking soda and marinate in the fridge for 15 minutes (this keeps the shrimp moist with a nice crust on the outside).
• Add the pasta to the pot of boiling water and cook according to the package instructions. Drain, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.
• Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the oil to the skillet, then arrange the shrimp in a single layer in the oil. Reduce the heat to medium. Cook, undisturbed, until a nice crust is formed, about 2 minutes. Flip the shrimp, then add the butter and garlic. Cook gently until fragrant, about 1 more minute. Add the wine to deglaze and let simmer for 1 more minute. Add the peas and pasta. Toss to combine. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper. Add a generous amount of Parmesan and toss again, adding the pasta water as necessary.
• Transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl. Garnish with more Parmesan and the parsley. Serve.

PASTA ALLA NORMA

Steps:

• Toss the aubergines with the salt, then tip into a colander set over a bowl for 30 mins, to extract any moisture.
• Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a casserole dish or saucepan. Tip in the onion and a pinch of salt, and cook over a low heat for 10 mins. Add the garlic and chilli, and cook for 1 min. Tip in the tomatoes and sugar, and bring to the simmer. Cook, uncovered, for 20 mins, stirring occasionally. Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7.
• Pat the aubergine dry with kitchen paper, then toss with the remaining oil. Spread out on a baking sheet and roast for 25-30 mins until softened and golden around the edges. Meanwhile, cook the pasta following pack instructions, reserving 100ml of the cooking water.
• Stir the aubergine into the sauce with the basil and capers. Season to taste, then toss the spaghetti in the pan with the sauce and a splash of the pasta water. Divide between four bowls and top with the ricotta and extra basil, if using.

PASTA ALLA GRICIA

Steps:

• Add the bacon to a large skillet. Place over medium heat and cook until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crispy, about 20 minutes. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat from the pan. Stir in the pepper and set aside.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Season it generously with salt. Cook the pasta for 2 minutes less than the package directions, about 8 minutes. Add 1 cup of the pasta water to the pan with the bacon, return the pan to medium-high heat and cook, scraping up the bits from the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon, until slightly reduced, about 1 minute.
• Using tongs, remove the pasta from the water and add it directly to the pan with the sauce. Sprinkle the pasta with the cheese and begin to toss the pasta with the sauce. Continue to stir over low heat and toss until the sauce thickens and coats the pasta and the pasta is cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. (Through this process, you may need to add more pasta water to help cook the pasta and maintain a sauce. This could take up to a cup more pasta water.) Serve topped with more cheese if desired.

CLASSIC PASTA ALLA NORMA

Steps:

• Make a quick tomato sauce: Put 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes.
• Stir in garlic, red pepper and basil leaves and cook for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, stir and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and let sauce simmer gently for 20 minutes, until slightly thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning. Set aside. (Sauce may be prepared up to 2 days in advance.)
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Turn heat to low and cover pot until it's time to cook the pasta.
• Put a wide cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. Add 4 tablespoons olive oil to coat surface of pan. When oil is wavy, test by adding a cube of eggplant. It should begin to sizzle and brown immediately. Fill the pan with a single layer of eggplant cubes. Turn eggplant with a spatula or tongs and brown nicely on all sides. Lower heat as necessary to maintain an even temperature; if the pan is too hot, the eggplant will burn.
• Remove cooked eggplant to a plate and continue to fry remaining eggplant in batches, adding more oil as necessary. Season finished eggplant with salt and pepper. (Alternatively, roast the eggplant on a baking sheet at 400 degrees, lightly drizzled with oil, until cooked and nicely browned, about 20 minutes.)
• To assemble and serve, boil pasta until al dente, leaving it a little firmer than normal. Bring the tomato sauce to a simmer. Add eggplant to sauce and gently stir to combine. Reserve a cup of pasta cooking water, then drain pasta and add to sauce. Using 2 wooden spoons or tongs, toss pasta and sauce, and let cook 1 minute more. Thin sauce if necessary with a little pasta cooking water.
• Transfer to a warmed wide pasta bowl. Sprinkle with grated ricotta salata and bread crumbs. Garnish with torn or whole basil leaves and a drizzle of olive oil, if desired.

PASTA ALLA NORMA

Steps:

• Combine eggplant and 2 tablespoons salt in a large bowl with water to cover. Place a plate on top of the eggplant to weigh it down and keep it covered in water for about 30 minutes. Drain and rinse eggplant in cool water. Pat dry and cut into cubes.
• Combine tomato puree, 1 teaspoon rock salt, garlic, and basil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce flavors combine, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Saute eggplant until golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; add penne and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain and toss with the tomato-basil sauce; divide into 4 serving bowls. Top with eggplant. Sprinkle 1/4 the ricotta and 1/4 the diced pepper over each bowl.

PASTA ALL'AMATRICIANA

Steps:

• Cut guanciale into 1-inch by 1/8-inch strips.
• Heat olive oil over medium heat in a saucepan. Add guanciale and cook until well browned and fully rendered, 5 to 7 minutes. Turn off the heat and use a slotted spoon to transfer it to a bowl. Leave all fat in the pan.
• Start pasta: Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook rigatoni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until not quite done, about 10 minutes. You want it undercooked by at least 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.
• At the same time, add wine to the guanciale fat in the saucepan. Place over medium-high heat and cook for about 1 minute. Stir in tomato sauce and pepper; bring to a simmer.
• Transfer the almost fully-cooked pasta into the sauce using a slotted spoon; it's okay if some water gets in the sauce. Add guanciale and stir to combine. Season with salt. Cook and stir until pasta absorbs the sauce and finishes cooking, and the sauce thickens up, about 3 minutes. If the sauce gets too thick, add a splash of the pasta water.
• Turn off the heat and add some of the Pecorino cheese. Stir until melted, then repeat until all cheese has been added.
• Ladle into 2 bowls and serve.

PASTA ALLA SAXONIA

Steps:

• Cook pasta al dente.
• Cut salami into mouth size pieces.
• Heat olive oil in pan.
• Fry salami until brown.
• Mix pasta, ketchup, cheese and salami including oil.
• Serve and enjoy.