Sometimes teaching a cooking class is just so enjoyable, it’s not a job but a group of friends who gather to learn, eat and of course, have a heated discourse on various topics.
Such was the case last night in my Five Pastas/Five Sauces cooking class. Nine students gathered (squished) into my kitchen, and with my trusty assistant and myself, 11 people laughed, ate, discussed life, ate, learned, and ate some more.
I had just taken a baking sheet of lightly broiled bruschetta from the oven, sliced ciabatta bread topped with roasted red pepper strips, fresh mozzarella and then sprinkled with fresh basil leaves as students settled into their respective spots.
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The bruschetta were passed around the table and quickly devoured as students are hungry when they first arrive at 6 pm. Just enough food to keep the hunger pangs at bay until the first dish was served.
While the gemelli pasta was boiling, the sauce of onions, peppers and sausage was simmering, then both were tossed in the sauce, and topped with Romano cheese. It’s a classic combination of peppers and sausages. And so perfect together with the tomato based sauce.
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Next on the menu was baked rigatoni with chicken, shallots and spinach, with a rich Asiago sauce. A sprinkling of breadcrumbs, lemon zest and Parmesan cheese topped the pasta, then baked until bubbly. The zest of lemon brought out the richness of the sauce and a little surprise taste.
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Carbonara, a combination of pancetta, shallots, and egg-cream sauce tossed with fettuccine, is a restaurant favorite. But the simplicity and deliciousness of this recipe convinced the most skeptic in the group that a bowl of “Fettuccine alla Carbonara” is just about 15 minutes from start to finish.
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Bucatini, one of my favorite pastas, is a long strand of spaghetti thickness pasta with a thin hole in the center. It works with so many sauces, from ragu to seafood based. In this dish, a basic tomato sauce was made with crushed tomatoes, wine, and then mussels, clams, shrimp and scallops were added and simmered for about 8 minutes to allow the mollusks to open completely. Served with chopped basil leaves. No cheese. Cheese is verboten on seafood dishes in Italy.
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Lastly, malafadde pasta (very thin looking lasagna with curly edges) in a rich lamb and baby eggplant ragu. With a hint of cinnamon, it had a definitive Greek slant to the dish. And when red wine and milk was added to the sauce, it created a dish with enough staying power to marry perfectly with the pasta strands. I found cute baby eggplant at my favorite grocer, and just had to have them for the sauce. I get so excited over the simplest of life’s pleasures - baby eggplant.
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Five differently shaped pastas. Five sauces to pair with each. Some pastas are meant to be baked, some are meant to be served with a lighter rich sauce, and some are meant to be bathed in a tomato based sauce. With over 150 pasta shapes available, there is one sauce for each of them.
Chocolate covered cherries were passed around the counter at the finale for just a little sweet treat. Have to have chocolate. A smidgen of sweetness to cap off an evening of fine foods, wines and interesting conversations. Very interesting.
For a sample of what we ate, here’s the recipe of the pasta with Italian sausages and peppers.
So easy, so inexpensive, and the essence of all that is Italian. Think trattoria style eating.
FUSILLI WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGES, RAINBOW OF PEPPERS
1 pound imported fusilli or other tubular or 2″ thick-shaped pasta, cooked “al dente”, drained
2 T. olive oil
1 small onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red, yellow and green bell peppers, cored and thinly sliced
28 oz. can Italian chopped tomatoes
1 cup water
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes (use more if you want more “heat”)
1 T. dried Italian seasoning
1 lb. sweet or hot Italian sausage (4-5 links)
1 tablespoon olive oil
Garnish: ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Have the pasta cooked and set aside. Heat the oil in sauté pan. Add onion, sauté until soft. Add garlic and peppers. Cook for 2-3 minutes until softened slightly. Add tomatoes and seasonings. Cover; simmer for 15 minutes.
In a separate pan, add the sausages to the olive oil, cook over low heat, turning to brown all sides. Cover; cook for 15 minutes. Add the sausages to the pan of tomatoes and peppers. Cook another 5-10 minutes until they are cooked through. Pour the sauce over the cooked pasta, toss gently, and garnish with cheese. Serve 1 sausage with the sauce and pasta per person. Serves 4-5.
