italian dish | James & Everett

Torta di Rigatoni in Piedi

Christoph — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 14:30:27 +0000

Standing tubes of pasta filled with a zesty ragù alla bolognese, covered in a layer of fresh mozzarella, baked to a golden brown, offer a visually stunning twist to an Italian classic. Simple to prepare, this flavorful pasta dish is a treat for the eyes as well as the mouth.

Torta di Rigatoni in Piedi (Standing Pasta Pie)

Standing tubes of pasta filled with a zesty ragù alla bolognese, covered in a layer of fresh mozzarella, baked to a golden brown

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 4

Total Time 4 15

Servings 12

Ingredients

*Ragù all Bolognese

1 medium onion
1 large carrots
2 ribs of celery
4 cloves roasted garlic
1 ounce pancetta very finely chopped
1 pound ground beef not lean
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¾ teaspoon Italian spices more or less to taste
¼ teaspoon red pepper flake optional and to taste
Pinch allspice
1 cup red wine
1 large can diced tomatoes with their juice
2 cups roasted tomatoes

Assemble

1 pound Rigatoni
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup parmesan cheese finely grated
4 - 5 cups bolognese* sauce prepared sauce can be used, there are some great one available
1 cup fresh mozzarella cheese grated
fresh basil garnish

Instructions

*Ragù all Bolognese

Finely chop onion, carrot, and celery.
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat, cook pancetta until all fat is rendered and pancetta is just beginning to brown. Add chopped vegetables and raise the heat to medium. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent and soft.
Add ground beef to the vegetable mixture along with the salt, peppers, and spices. Cook until meat is browned crumbling with a spoon.
Add tomatoes and garlic.
When mixture begins to simmer, reduce heat to low and cook at a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally for about 30 minutes.
Add wine. Cover pot, reduce heat to low, and allow sauce to simmer, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
Season to taste by adding more spices or salt.
Heat oven to 400° F.

Assemble

Cook pasta in heavily salted boiling water for about 12 minutes or al dente. Drain and rinse with cool water.
Place pasta in a large mixing bowl and toss with olive oil. Add parmesan cheese and toss again.
Butter the bottom and sides of a 9″ springform pan. Tip pan on a slight angle and stand the tubes of rigatoni on end until pan is full. One pound fits perfectly in the springform pan.
Ladle the ragù small amounts at a time over the top of the pasta. Use a spatula to work the sauce into the noodles. Tapping the pan against the counter also helps to settle the sauce into the holes.
Cover the top with an even layer of the grated mozzarella cheese.
Bake in the 400° F oven for 25 – 30 minutes or until top is bubbling and golden brown.
Remove from oven and allow to rest for about 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pan before removing the springform.
Cut into slices and garnish with some fresh basil.

Serve

Serve with a side salad or fresh green beans. A crusty French bread might also be nice.

The post Torta di Rigatoni in Piedi first appeared on James & Everett.

Penne alla Carbonara

Christoph — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 14:30:59 +0000

Classic carbonara is made with bacon, eggs, and cream, tossed with spaghetti noodles and finished with cracked black pepper. What a great idea! But where this delicious dish actually comes from is unclear, the stories however are somewhat interesting.

The first thought is that it was created by Roman woodcutters who made charcoal for fuel. They would use penne or a short pasta rather that spaghetti for ease of preparation.

The second thought is that this food was eaten by coal miners for a hearty meal, and that the use of black pepper resembled coal flakes.

It is also rumored that food shortages were so severe after the liberation of Rome in 1944, that Allied troops distributed military rations. The local people mixed the powdered eggs and cured bacon with water and added it to their dried pasta.

Yet another version of the story claims that a famous restaurant in the Campo dé Fiori in Rome named “La Carbonera” is responsible. The restaurant denies having created this dish even though it has been on their menu for years.

There seem to be as many ways to prepare carbonara as there are stories from whence it came. Some versions use only the basic ingredients, while others are a bit more adventurous adding vegetables and spices. The one thing that all of the recipes do seem to agree on, is that bacon and eggs are the perfect paring.

Penne alla Carbonara

This classic carbonara is made with bacon, eggs, and cream, tossed with pasta and finished with cracked black pepper.

Ingredients

2 cups penne pasta
1/4 pound bacon cut in to 1” pieces
½ cup onion finely chopped
¼ cup roasted red pepper diced
4 garlic cloves finely chopped
3 large egg yolks
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

Cook pasta for about 10 minutes in boiling water or until tender
Cook the pasta while you prepare the sauce. It is important that the pasta be hot when the raw eggs are added in order to finish the sauce.
Ladle about 1 cup of pasta water into a bowl and reserve.
Separate the eggs. Place the yolks in a small bowl with the grated cheese and mix well. Hold to the side to be added to the hot pasta.
In a large sauté pan, over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy. Remove the bacon and drain on paper towels.
Pour off all of the oil except for about 2 tablespoons. Add the onion and red pepper. Sauté until onions become translucent. Add garlic and cook another 30 seconds. Add the crispy bacon, drained pasta (do not rinse), and fresh ground black pepper.
Mix well, turning pasta to coat with oil. Cook for about 1 minute. Remove pan from heat.
Off of the heat, add one half of the parsley and the egg / cheese mixture. Stir well to allow hot the hot pasta to cook the egg and create the sauce. Add reserved pasta water as needed to create a creamy consistency. Top with the remaining chopped parsley, grated cheese and ground black pepper.

Serve

I like to serve this dish with fresh spinach wilted in some of the bacon renderings.

Mangia!

The post Penne alla Carbonara first appeared on James & Everett.