Cooking for Two (15 page)
4.
Place the large potato-skin shells in a shallow 1-quart casserole dish; divide the mashed potato mixture between them, mounding it with a spoon. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of grated cheese over each potato. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is browned and bubbling. Serve at once.
Pasta dishes are perfect for small-batch cooking: open a small can of diced tomatoes, add a few vegetables and some cooked pasta, and dinner’s ready in minutes. In all cases, make the noodles before you make the sauce, because it will be done long before they are, if everything’s started at the same time. There’s also no reason to be fussy about pasta. Although we always call for a specific shape, use what you have on hand—with the exception of lasagna noodles or cannelloni tubes, of course! You won’t use the whole box or bag with any of these dishes: just 6 ounces of dried pasta in most cases. The rest will keep for months in your pantry, ready for the next time you want to make a simple but satisfying pasta dish after a busy day.
ASTA
B
OLOGNESE
makes2 servings
“B
olognese,” of course, just refers to any dish from Bologna, Italy—but it has come to mean a thick ragoût of ground meat, vegetables, and tomatoes, served over flat noodles such as fettuccine. The traditional preparation, while exquisite, takes hours to make: a slow-simmering, all-day task, and not exactly everyday fare for a busy cook. Fortunately, small batches cook faster than larger ones, and canned diced tomatoes speed up the process even more.
2 tablespoons olive oil 1 large shallot, minced 1 small carrot, minced 1 small celery rib, minced 1 large garlic clove, minced
One 14½-ounce can diced tomatoes 1½ teaspoons chopped fresh oregano, or ½ teaspoon dried oregano | 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, or ½ teaspoon dried thyme ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg 6 ounces dried fettuccine or other flat noodles, cooked according to package instructions 2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (about ½ ounce) |
pound ground veal, or lean ground beef1.
Heat a medium saucepan or sauté pan over medium heat. Swirl in the oil, then stir in the shallot, carrot, celery, and garlic. Cook for about 4 minutes, or until the carrots soften and the shallot is very aromatic, stirring occasionally.
2
. Crumble in the ground meat and cook for only 30 seconds, just until it has lost its raw, red color, stirring constantly but taking care not to break up the meat fibers. Pour in the milk and cook for 2 more minutes, or until it’s almost evaporated, stirring often. Now stir in the
tomatoes (with their juice), the oregano, thyme, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, or until thickened, stirring occasionally.
3.
Stir in the cooked pasta and cook for 1 minute to heat through. Divide between two bowls, top each with 1 tablespoon of the grated cheese, and serve.
INGUINE WITH
S
AGE
P
ESTO
makes2 servings
T
raditionally, pesto is a fresh, uncooked sauce made with basil, cheese, pine nuts, and olive oil; but here’s an autumnal variation made with sage and parsley, best served over thin noodles such as fettuccine. Of course, you needn’t wait until the fall to have this dish. Dried herbs won’t work here—the leaf varieties won’t blend smoothly, and rubbed sage will overpower the sauce.
½ cup packed fresh parsley, preferably flat-leaf parsley 2 tablespoons packed fresh sage leaves 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (about ½ ounce) 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts 1 small garlic clove, halved ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper |
6 ounces dried fettuccine, or other wide noodles, cooked according to package instructions 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest |
1.
Place the parsley, sage, Parmigiano-Reggiano, walnut pieces, garlic, and pepper in a food processor fitted with the chopping blade, or in a mini food processor, or a wide blender. Pulse four or five times until coarsely chopped, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. With the food processor or blender running, drizzle in the olive oil until a thick sauce forms. (The consistency of pesto is a matter of preference. If you prefer a coarser sauce, pulse only a couple of times before you add the oil, just to chop everything roughly. For a smoother pesto, pulse up to ten times before you add the oil.)
2.
Toss the cooked pasta with the sage pesto in a large bowl, sprinkle with the grated lemon zest, and serve immediately.
PAGHETTI WITH
C
LAMS
makes2 servings
T
his garlicky pasta dish is reminiscent of one commonly served in working-class Venetian restaurants. Use the clams the day you buy them: scrub them to remove any sand on their shells, then place them in a bowl in the refrigerator, under damp paper towels, until you’re ready to use them. Don’t cook any that refuse to close when tapped, and don’t eat any that remain closed after cooking. If you prefer, substitute white wine for the vermouth, using something you’d like to drink with dinner.
¼ cup olive oil 4 medium garlic cloves, finely minced ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes 2 ounces pancetta (see page 10), roughly chopped ½ cup dry vermouth 1 pound small clams, such as littlenecks or Pismos, scrubbed (see headnote) | 6 ounces dried spaghetti, cooked according to package instructions 1 cup chopped arugula 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (about ½ ounce) 1 tablespoon unsalted butter |
1.
Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Pour in the olive oil, then toss in the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for just 10 seconds, stirring constantly. Be careful—the oils in the pepper flakes will volatilize and can burn your eyes. Stir in the pancetta and cook for about 3 minutes, or until lightly browned and frizzled at the edges, stirring often so the garlic doesn’t burn.
2.
Pour in the vermouth and scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil, add the clams, cover the pan, and simmer for 5 minutes, just until they open.
3.
Stir in the spaghetti, arugula, cheese, and butter. Toss to coat, cook for an additional 30 seconds to heat through and wilt the greens, and serve at once.
USILLI AND
M
EATBALLS
makes2 generous servings
N
o wonder this is a classic: meatballs, a simple tomato sauce, and pasta. It’s rich, satisfying, and not all that hard to make. Best of all, this time it’s just for two. Peas may be a bit of a surprise here, but they add a nice green “summeriness” to this hearty dish. Of course, to make this even more classic, substitute spaghetti or linguine for the fusilli.