On Thu, 20 May 2021 08:42:11 -0500, Sqwertz >
wrote:

>On Wed, 19 May 2021 22:30:02 -0400, jmcquown wrote:
>
>> Angel hair pasta added to boiling salted water. Immediately remove from
>> heat, stir, cover and and let sit for only a few minutes. Angel hair
>> pasta doesn't need much. Drain in a large strainer then add back to the
>> pan. Toss with butter and some olive oil. At this point you may add
>> any sort of herbs or spices you like. I added a few shakes of Mrs. Dash
>> Garlic and Herb seasoning blend and some dried chili flakes. Then
>> sprinkled with some grated Asiago cheese over the top. (Parmesan is my
>> usual for a pasta dish like this but I still have some Asiago and I
>> really like it.) Quite a tasty quick fix meal and enough left to take
>> for lunch tomorrow.
>
>Try pasta carbonara. It's almost as simple but a little heartier
>with egg and bacon (suitable for breakfast or lunch). Or you can add
>shrimp for a dinner. I looked at a few recipes and they're all
>defective according to how I've made it over the years. But if you
>want to get an idea, try:
>
>https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/...recipe-1914140
>
>-sw

Carbonara is a family favorite. It is one of those dishes that varies
slightly in ingredients and proportions as well as prep from
restaurant to restaurant and recipe to recipe, but I love the version
I have settled on over the years.

Although I never use garlic as the Food Network recommends, I like
onion in it., Go figure.

This is close to mine- the NYT. At times over the years, I have gone
to the extra effort/cost of using guanciale, which is the traditional
meat.

INGREDIENTS
Salt
2 large eggs and 2 large yolks, room temperature
1 ounce (about 1/3 packed cup) grated pecorino Romano, plus additional
for serving
1 ounce (about 1/3 packed cup) grated Parmesan
Coarsely ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 ½ ounces of slab guanciale (see recipe), pancetta or bacon, sliced
into pieces about 1/4 inch thick by 1/3 inch square
12 ounces spaghetti (about 3/4 box)


PREPARATION
Place a large pot of lightly salted water (no more than 1 tablespoon
salt) over high heat, and bring to a boil. Fill a large bowl with hot
water for serving, and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, yolks and pecorino and
Parmesan. Season with a pinch of salt and generous black pepper.
Set the water to boil. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over
medium heat, add the pork, and sauté until the fat just renders, on
the edge of crispness but not hard. Remove from heat and set aside.

Add pasta to the water and boil until a bit firmer than al dente. Just
before pasta is ready, reheat guanciale in skillet, if needed. Reserve
1 cup of pasta water, then drain pasta and add to the skillet over low
heat. Stir for a minute or so.

Empty serving bowl of hot water. Dry it and add hot pasta mixture.
Stir in cheese mixture, adding some reserved pasta water if needed for
creaminess. Serve immediately, dressing it with a bit of additional
grated pecorino and pepper.


The other quick and delightful and easy pasta dish is Cacio y Pepe.
Again from the NYT and again, this is a dish that can vary widely in
prep and proportion. One of the most interesting aspects of the
various recipes is how to create the cheese and pepper "paste" that is
the basis of the dish.

INGREDIENTS
Salt
1 ½ cups finely grated pecorino Romano, plus more for dusting
completed dish
1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 tablespoon ground black pepper, plus more for finishing the dish
¾ pound tonnarelli or other long pasta like linguine or spaghetti
Good olive oil

PREPARATION
Put a pot of salted water on to boil. In a large bowl, combine the
cheeses and black pepper; mash with just enough cold water to make a
thick paste. Spread the paste evenly in the bowl.

Once the water is boiling, add the pasta. The second before it is
perfectly cooked (taste it frequently once it begins to soften), use
tongs to quickly transfer it to the bowl, reserving a cup or so of the
cooking water. Stir vigorously to coat the pasta, adding a teaspoon or
two of olive oil and a bit of the pasta cooking water to thin the
sauce if necessary. The sauce should cling to the pasta and be creamy
but not watery.

Plate and dust each dish with additional pecorino and pepper. Serve
immediately.