Pasta !

We've just returned from a lovely week in Italy--Roma and Sorrento. I enjoyed my favorite pasta dish--squid ink pasta with shrimp, and the simple but classic cacio e pepe.

We dined at our favorite Roma restaurants: Le Mani in Pasta, Ai Bozzi da Giovanni in Trastevere and Pizzeria Emma -- more than just pizza, and you must always leave room for the "deconstructed Canoli."

With all this amazing pasta on the mind, I thought I would share some of my favorite dishes so here you are: Spaghetti alla Trapanese, Penne con pollo e verdure arrosto and Rigatoni alla salsiccia e piselli

SPAGHETTI ALLA TRAPANESE

Pasta

1/2 Cup of Dry Spaghetti Pasta

For Tomato Sauce

3 cups of San Marzano tomatoes

2 tablespoons of chopped onion

4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Simmer all the ingredients together in a pot or deep pan over medium low heat for 20 minutes.

For Nut Sauce

1/3 cup finely chopped hazelnuts, pistachios, walnuts, pine nuts and almonds (use a combination of all or whatever you have on hand)

Two gloves of garlic

¼ cup olive oil

Directions:

1. Blend all the ingredients together in a small food processor.

2. Combine with tomato sauce and toss with spaghetti.

Penne con pollo e verdure arrosto

INGREDIENTS:

1 BOX PENNE OR RIGATONI

1 LB THIN CUT CHICKEN BREAST

2X CANS ARTICHOKE HEARTS (NOT SEASONED)

1X LARGE RED ONION

1X LARGE BUNCH ASPARAGUS

2 TABLESPOONS THYME

2 CLOVES GARLIC

OLIVE OIL

SALT + PEPER

DRY OREGANO OR ITALIAN SEASONING

FRESH LEMONS (1 OR 2)

1/2 CUP OF WHITE WINE (WHATEVER YOU’RE DRINKING OR HAVE OPEN WILL DO!)

FRESH GRATED PARMESAN CHEESE

FRESH PARSLEY (OPTIONAL)

1. PRE HEAT OVEN TO 450 F, THEN CUT THE ASPARAGUS INTO 1 INCH DIAGONAL PIECES, AND ONION INTO 1/2 INCH LONG STRIPS PUT IN A BOWL

DRAIN THE ARTICHOKE AND MIX INTO BOWL, DRIZZLE WITH OLIVE OIL, MIX IN SALT/PEPPER AND THYME . MIX UP AND SPREAD ON BAKING TRAY, SQUEEZE A LITTLE LEMON AND PUT IN OVEN TO ROAST FOR ABOUT 20-25 MINS

2. START TO BOIL YOUR PASTA WATER

3. CUT CHICKEN INTO SMALL 1” PIECES, SEASON WITH SALT/PEPPER / OREGANO OR ITALIAN SEASONING

OIL THE PAN AND BEGIN TO COOK CHICKEN ON STOVETOP, THROW IN MINCED GARLIC AS CHICKEN COOKS, ADD IN OIL AS NEEDED,

4. MEANWHILE COOK YOUR PASTA

5. DE-GLAZE PAN WITH WHITE WINE AND IT LET COOK OFF—THEN PUT HEAT TO VERY LOW/SIMMER

6. ONCE PASTA IS COOKED, SLOWLY LADEL IT OUT AND INTO THE CHICKEN PAN, THEN ADD IN THE ROASTED VEGGIES

7. PLATE IT AND DRIZZLE A BIT OF OLIVE OIL AND /OR LEMON JUICE, GARNISH WITH THE PARSLEY AND PLENTY OF PARMESAN !

Rigatoni alla salsiccia e piselli

Ingredients

One cup fresh , canned peas or thawed frozen peas

Salt & pepper

Two tablespoons unsalted butter

extra virgin olive oil

1⅓ cup finely chopped yellow onion

About 4-6 mild or spicy Italian sausages (to your taste) casing removed

2 to 3 ounces sliced or cubed pancetta, finely chopped

½ cup chicken stock

• cups tomato sauce

¼ cup heavy cream

1 pound dried rigatoni

½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Instructions

• In a large skillet over medium-low heat, heat the butter and olive oil. Add the onion and cook until soft and golden, 5-6 minutes. Raise the heat to high and add in the sausage and bacon. Cook, breaking up the sausage with a wooden spoon, until cooked through and browned, 3-4 minutes. I finish it with a bit of red wine to taste.

• Add the chicken stock to the skillet and cook until most of it has evaporated. Stir in the tomato sauce and the heavy cream. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Add in the peas and cook an additional minute or two. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the rigatoni until drained. Return the pasta to the pot.

• When the sauce is done, pour it over the cooked pasta and stir to coat the pasta. Stir in a handful of the Parmigiano-Reggiano and stir to coat. Serve the pasta with the remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano.