Pasta Marinocchi
Sunday February 28, 2010
This is a scrumptious, comforting dish that you can prepare in just minutes. Pasta Marinocchi is named for the two beautiful young Italian women who stayed with us last spring and became such fast friends they began calling themselves by a new name, half from Marinello and the other half from Occhipinti. They explained to me that they are not good cooks but they sure fooled me—this simple dish, which they invented together, became an instant favorite in our house. From start to finish it takes at most twenty minutes to prepare. Federica and Chiara sang verses of Bella Ciao as they cooked, which added an extra twist of poignancy to the occasion. I will never eat this dish without thinking of them or the ballad they sang while pouring the pasta into the boiling pot.
Fusilli Con Pomodoro, Mozzarella e Basilico (Corkscrew Pasta with Tomatoes, Basil and Mozzarella)
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 pound fusilli pasta (or penne rigate)
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2-3 medium cloves garlic peeled and sliced in half langthwise
2 pounds fresh plum tomatoes or 32 oz canned plum tomatoes (pelati)
6-8 leaves of fresh basil
1/3 cup fresh whole milk mozzarella chopped into ½” cubes
salt
crushed red chili peppers (pepperoncini)
½ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
Preparation:
1. Set a large pot of water, covered, over high heat and bring it to a boil.
2. Meanwhile, chop tomatoes coarsely into ½” chunks; reserve liquid.
3. Heat ¼ cup olive oil over medium heat in a heavy sauce pan or a large skillet and place the garlic into the oil. Watch the garlic carefully, taking care that it does not turn brown.
4. When the garlic becomes a light golden color (Italians call this “blonde”), add the tomatoes and their liquid to the pan and turn the heat up to medium high. When the tomatoes start to bubble, add the whole basil leaves (they retain and impart more of their flavor when left intact).
5. Add one teaspoon salt (more or less, according to your taste) and a pinch of crushed dry red chili peppers.
6. Stir the sauce as the tomatoes cook down and the liquid reduces; if it gets too dry, add water from the pasta pot in small amounts as needed.
7. When the pasta water comes to a full boil, add one tablespoon of salt and the dry pasta; stir periodically as it boils. Time the cooking according to the number of minutes indicated on the package. Approximately one minute before it should be done, test the pasta by biting a piece of it. It is ready when firm but tender (not crunchy or hard) to the bite. Bear in mind that the pasta will cook a tiny bit more once drained and take it off the heat slightly before it is perfect.
8. Before pouring out the pasta cooking water, reserve a couple of ladles of it in a cup. Then drain the pasta in a colander. DO NOT DOUSE IN COLD WATER!!! COOKED PASTA DOES NOT NEED TO BE RINSED.
9. Turn up the heat under the tomato sauce and transfer the cooked pasta into it; add some of the pasta water from step 8 and toss until blended. The pasta water “marries” the pasta to the sauce and help you to avoid an overly dry end result. Add the mozzarella and toss some more; when the cheese starts to melt, turn off the heat and add more salt and pepperoncini to taste, and 2 more tablespoons of olive oil.
Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.
Buon appetito!
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