One Pan, Two Plates (4 page)

Fresh tomatoes, fresh basil, garlic, and pasta could be dinner every night at my house. Since you use fresh tomatoes, this dish should be reserved for that time of year when they are perfectly ripe and at peak flavor. It might seem like carb overload, but the crispy croutons add an addictive buttery crunch, so don’t even think about leaving them out. The amount of garlic, red pepper flakes, and basil is a personal thing, so be sure to tailor this dish to your taste buds.

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START TO FINISH
40 minutes

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HANDS-ON TIME
20 minutes

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serves 2

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1 large tomato, cored and diced (see “It’s that easy”)

2 garlic cloves, minced

2½ tsp salt

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

2 tsp balsamic vinegar

¼ tsp red pepper flakes

Freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp unsalted butter

3 thick slices Italian-style bread, cut into 1-in/2.5-cm cubes (see “It’s that easy”)

10 oz/250 g fresh fettuccine

⅓ cup/10 g thinly sliced fresh basil leaves

1.
In a large bowl big enough to hold the pasta later, combine the tomato, half of the garlic, ¼ tsp of the salt, the olive oil, vinegar, red pepper flakes, and a few grinds of black pepper and toss it all together. Set aside.

2.
In a 12-in/30.5-cm skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the bread cubes, the remaining garlic, and ¼ tsp salt and cook until the bread cubes are browned in the hot fat, turning them as they crisp, about 5 minutes total. They will soak up all the butter in the pan like sponges. (You may need to reduce the heat if they threaten to over-brown.) Transfer the croutons to a plate. Let the pan cool slightly before carefully wiping it out with paper towels.

3.
Fill the skillet with water up to about 1 in/2.5 cm from the top. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the remaining 2 tsp salt and the
fettuccine. Stir gently once or twice so the noodles don’t stick. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 3 minutes or according to the package directions. (To check, fish out a strand and bite into it. It should still be chewy, but not tough.) Scoop out about ¼ cup/60 ml of the pasta-cooking water and set it aside, then drain the pasta in a colander set in the sink.

4.
Immediately dump the pasta and 1 to 2 tbsp of the reserved pasta water into the bowl with the tomato mixture and toss to coat the pasta thoroughly. Add the basil and croutons and stir to incorporate them into the mix. Taste and adjust the seasoning. If it seems dry, add a little more pasta water.

5.
Heap the pasta on warmed plates and eat with reckless abandon. The pasta cools really quickly and the croutons get soggy, so tuck in right away.

it’s that easy:
Tomato skins can be incredibly tough! The easiest way to slice them is to use a serrated knife. After your first cuts, lay the tomato slices flat with any skin sides down; you shouldn’t have any trouble cutting them into cubes. The same thing goes for crusty artisan loaves of bread. Use a serrated knife to saw through the crispy crust and tender insides.

extra hungry?
A small salad of arugula with grated or shaved Parmesan will go nicely with all the basil in the pasta. You could toss in a few olives if you have them.

in the glass:
If you haven’t tried one lately, this dish is a great excuse to drink a dry, crisp rosé. The Coppola winery makes wine with a good price-to-quality ratio, and it is widely distributed, thus easy to find. Look for Francis Ford Coppola Winery Sofia Rosé. It has a crisp acidity but with enough fruit to complement the tomatoes, and enough spice to stand up to the garlic.

Fettuccine

with
SCALLOPS, CARROTS,
and
GINGER-LIME BUTTER SAUCE

Fettuccine has such a wonderful chewy texture, especially when the pasta is fresh. Lucky for us, fresh pasta is easy to find these days in the refrigerated and frozen foods section of most well-stocked groceries and almost any Italian-foods store. I love to pair it with silky things like butter and scallops and, as in this dish, a touch of lime. The citrus and the spice of fresh ginger wake up the buttery carrots and embellish the noodles like a colorful scarf on a simple black dress. Speaking of simple, this dish is pretty basic. Once the carrots are cut, you’re just a few steps away from having dinner on the table in minutes flat.

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START TO FINISH
35 minutes

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HANDS-ON TIME
25 minutes

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serves 2

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Salt

10 oz/280 g fresh fettuccine

4 tbsp/55 g unsalted butter

1 shallot, minced

1 tbsp peeled and minced fresh ginger

2 large carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks (see “It’s that easy”)

Freshly ground black pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced

12 oz/340 g day-boat (also called dry or dry-packed; see Note) scallops, patted dry on paper towels

1 lime, ½ reserved for juice, ½ cut into wedges for garnish

1 tbsp minced fresh chives

1.
Fill a 12-in/30.5-cm skillet with water up to about 1 in/2.5 cm from the top. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Add 2 tsp salt and toss in the fettuccine. Stir gently once or twice so the noodles don’t stick. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 3 minutes or according to the package directions. (To check, fish out a strand and bite into it. It should still be chewy, but not tough.) Scoop out ½ cup/120 ml of the pasta-cooking water and set it aside. Drain the pasta in a colander set in the sink and run just enough cold water over it to stop the cooking but leave it warm.

2.
In the same pan, melt 2 tbsp of the butter over medium-high heat. Add the shallot, ginger, and carrots. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and sauté the
vegetables until they are crisp-tender and lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute. Scoop the vegetables out of the pan onto a warmed plate (or cover the plate loosely with aluminum foil to keep warm).

3.
Sprinkle the scallops with salt and pepper on both sides. Return the pan to medium-high heat and add the remaining 2 tbsp butter. When it’s melted and sizzling, add the scallops. Cook until browned on the first side, about 2 minutes (don’t try to move them sooner or they will stick and tear). Using tongs or a spatula, carefully turn them over and sear on the second side for another 2 minutes. They should be browned and slightly firm to the touch when pressed with a finger. Transfer the scallops to another warmed plate and cover to keep them warm.

4.
Still over medium-high heat, add half of the reserved pasta-cooking water to the hot pan and squeeze in the juice from the lime half. Add the pasta and toss for about 1 minute to heat it and coat it with the sauce. Add the vegetables and toss them with the pasta to warm them up. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper, if desired. If the mixture seems dry, stir in a little more of the reserved pasta water.

5.
Mound the pasta onto warmed plates and top it with the scallops, dividing them evenly. Sprinkle with the chives, garnish the plates with the lime wedges, and serve hot.

note:
Seek out day-boat scallops, which are fresher and not chemically treated.

it’s that easy:
To cut a carrot into matchsticks, peel it first and trim off the pointy and stem ends. Cut crosswise into pieces about 4 in/10 cm long. Cut a very thin slice from one long side of a piece so the carrot will sit on the cutting board without rolling. Cut downward, lengthwise, into ⅛-in/3-mm slices. Stack the slices flat-side up and cut the stack lengthwise into ⅛-in/3-mm sticks. Cut the sticks in half so that they are about 2 in/5 cm long, like matchsticks. Voilà!

extra hungry?
A beautiful, ripe sliced tomato dressed with salt, pepper, and a splash of extra-virgin olive oil would be perfect alongside this rich dish.

in the glass:
Whites rule as an accompaniment to this scallop dish; a California Sauvignon Blanc from Edna Valley would reign supreme.

Linguine

with
CHICKEN, SPINACH,
and
FETA CHEESE

I had a friend in college who would wiggle in her chair whenever she was eating something really delicious. As an eater and a cook, I really appreciate that kind of enthusiasm at the table. I know Lynn would really love this pasta dish because it’s delicious, quick, and easy to pull together for a busy weeknight meal. She’d love the tender chicken, chewy pasta, salty cheese, and fresh spinach, which is irresistible by the way. Last but not least, the lemon in this dish is so bright with tart fruit; I know that it would make her smile . . . and wiggle a little bit in her chair.

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START TO FINISH
25 minutes

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HANDS-ON TIME
25 minutes

...

serves 2

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Salt

10 oz/280 g fresh linguine

2 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, thinly sliced

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced

Freshly ground black pepper

One 5-oz/140-g bag baby spinach

1 cup/115 g crumbled feta cheese

⅓ cup/75 ml lemon juice, plus more if needed

Red pepper flakes (optional)

1.
Fill a 12-in/30.5-cm skillet with water up to about 1 in/2.5 cm from the top. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Add 2 tsp salt and toss in the linguine. Stir gently once or twice so the noodles don’t stick. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 3 minutes or according to the package directions. (To check, fish out a strand and bite into it. It should still be chewy, but not tough.) Scoop out ½ cup/120 ml of the pasta-cooking water and set it aside. Drain the pasta in a colander set in the sink and run just enough cold water over it to stop the cooking but leave it warm.

2.
Reduce the heat to medium-high and add the olive oil to the hot pan along with the onion and cook until the onion softens a little, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken, ½ tsp salt, and a sprinkling of pepper and sauté the chicken until it is almost cooked, about 2 minutes. Add a little of the reserved pasta water to clean up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the spinach to the pan by the handful and cook, stirring and tossing until it has wilted. Return the drained pasta to the pan and add the feta cheese and lemon juice. Toss the mixture until the cheese has melted a little and
season again with more salt and pepper if it needs it. You might want to add more lemon juice or pasta water as well. It’s up to you. If you like a little heat, a pinch of red pepper flakes is a welcome addition.