Mushroom Cauliflower Bolognese

• 12 oz. mushrooms, such as shiitake or crimini, stems removed
• 1 medium head of cauliflower (about 2¼ lb.), broken into florets
• ¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 chile, such as serrano, Holland, or Fresno, thinly sliced, or ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 Tbsp. finely chopped rosemary
• ⅓ cup double-concentrated tomato paste
• Kosher salt
• 1 lb. rigatoni
• 2 oz. finely grated Parmesan (about 1 cup), plus more for serving
• 3 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley
• ½ lemon

Pulse mushrooms in a food processor until finely chopped. Transfer to a small bowl. Wipe out food processor bowl.

Working in 3 batches, pulse cauliflower in food processor until pieces are about the size of a grain of rice (some smaller and some larger ones are fine), transferring to a medium bowl as you go.

Heat ¼ cup oil and 2 Tbsp. butter in a large heavy pot over medium-high. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 4–6 minutes. Add onion and 2 Tbsp. oil to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is very soft and golden brown, 6–8 minutes. Add garlic, chile, and rosemary and cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is softened and mixture is very fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until paste is slightly darkened, about 2 minutes. Add cauliflower and cook, yes, still stirring occasionally, until cauliflower is cooked down slightly and begins to stick to bottom of pot, 6–8 minutes. Season with salt, then keep warm over low heat.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until almost al dente, about 1 minute less than package directions.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer pasta to pot with sauce. Add 1 cup Parmesan, remaining 2 Tbsp. butter, and 1 cup pasta cooking liquid. Increase heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente and sauce is clinging to pasta, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt (it'll probably need another pinch or two). Finely zest lemon over pasta and toss once more.

Divide pasta among bowls. Top with more Parmesan, then drizzle with oil.

Serves 6.

VERDICT:  This was not as hard as I expected it to be--the bulk of the chopping happens in the food processor--it has achievable ingredients, and it's delicious. Keep!

Edamame Pasta Salad

• 12 ounces gemelli or other short pasta
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for cooking pasta
• 1 12-oz. bag frozen shelled edamame (about 2½ cups)
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges, seeds removed
• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 5 ounces baby arugula
• 4 ounces crumbled feta (about 1 cup)
• ¼ cup chopped toasted walnuts

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water according to package instructions, adding edamame during the last 4 minutes of cooking.

Meanwhile, heat a small skillet over medium-high. Add lemon wedges, cut side down, and cook until well blistered, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to a plate.

Reserving 2 tablespoons of cooking liquid, drain pasta and edamame; transfer to a large bowl. Toss with 2 tablespoons oil; set aside until cool, 5 to 10 minutes.

Whisk together salt, vinegar, pepper, reserved cooking liquid, and remaining 4 tablespoons oil in a small bowl. Add to bowl with pasta and edamame along with arugula, feta, and walnuts; toss well. Squeeze seared lemon wedges over pasta.

Serves 4; 744 calories.

VERDICT:  This was also meant for the blizzarded-out dinner with Jen and Beth. It is nearly instantaneous (especially if you skip grilling the lemons, which I would in future) but a little underwhelming.  The pasta turned a weird gray color, and "serves four" seemed wildly inaccurate--I ate this forever.  Toss.

Roasted Eggplant and Olive Pasta Salad

• 1 medium eggplant, cut into ¾-in. pieces (about 6 cups)
• 1 cup pitted, drained kalamata olives
• 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 8 ounces casarecce, fusilli, or other short pasta
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, plus leaves for garnish
• 2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about ½ cup)
• 1½ cups (about 8 oz.) multicolored cherry tomatoes, halved

Preheat oven to 475°F. Toss eggplant and olives with 3 tablespoons of the oil on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast in a single layer until eggplant is tender, 18 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions; drain well. Whisk together vinegar, salt, pepper, chopped oregano, and remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a small bowl.

Toss together pasta, eggplant-olive mixture, feta, tomatoes, and dressing. Garnish with oregano leaves.

Serves 4; 521 calories.

VERDICT: Salty and delicious.  Good warm, but works as leftovers.  Keep.

Linguine with Garlicky Kale and White Beans

• 8 ounces uncooked linguine
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh garlic
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 (8-ounce) package prechopped kale
• 1 (15-ounce) can unsalted cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 3/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid.

Heat oil and garlic in a large skillet over medium heat. When garlic begins to sizzle, add 1/2 cup water and kale; cover and cook 5 minutes or until kale is tender, stirring occa­sionally. Add beans, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and salt; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally. Add pasta and reserved 1/4 cup cooking liquid to pan; toss to coat. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper over pasta. Serve immediately.
 
Serves 4 (1 3/4 c.); 381 calories.

VERDICT:  Bland, despite more than a whole head of garlic, and not enough beans/kale to pasta.  Toss.

Pasta with Vegetable Ragu

• 5 T. olive oil
• 1 lb. wild or button mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed, and chopped
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 1 bulb fennel, halved, cored, and chopped
• 2 large carrots, shredded
• sea salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 lb. kabocha or butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and chopped
• 3 large garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 T. tomato paste
• pinch of red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp. sweet or smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp. fennel seeds (optional)
• 1 c. dry white or red wine such as sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio, or Chianti
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 T. finely chopped fresh thyme
• 3 c. vegetable stock or water
• 1 28 oz. can San Marzano or plum tomatoes in juice
• 1 lb. strozzapreti pasta (or orecchiette, gnocchi, or polenta--we used fusilli)
• soft creamy cheese like fresh ricotta or mascarpone for dolloping
• aged cheese such as pecorino or brebis for grating
• few small fresh mint leaves

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot or wide heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add the mushrooms and cook until they begin to brown and release their liquid, 6-8 minutes.  Add the onions, fennel, and carrots and cook until soft and just golden brown, 5-7 minutes.  Season with 3/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. black pepper.

Add the squash, garlic, tomato paste, red pepper flakes, paprika, and fennel seeds and cook until the paste browns and the liquid has almost evaporated, about 1 minute.  Add the wine and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to get all the good brown bits.  Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.

Add the bay leaf, thyme, and 2 cups of the stock.  Add the tomatoes and their juices, passing them through clean hands on the way to the pot to crush them.  Cook to reduce the sauce slightly, about 15 minutes. 

Add the remaining 1 c. stock and reduce the heat to meduim-low.  Cook, uncovered, at a slow, steady simmer with small bubbles popping up all over the surface of the sauce, for about 1 hour or more (the longer it cooks, the better the flavor) to create a thick sauce studded with vegetables.  Season with 3/4 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper.  Taste and season with more salt and pepper as needed.

Bring a large pot three-fourths full of salted water to a boil over high heat.  Add the strozzapreti and cook until al dente, about 9 minutes.  Drain, reserving 1/3 c. of the pasta cooking liquid for the sauce.

Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss gently to coat, adding the pasta cooking liquid as needed, 1 T. at a time, to your desired consistency.  Scoop the dressed pasta into shallow bowls and dollop with ricotta.  Grate the pecorino over the top, season with pepper, and sprinkle with mint.  Serve warm.

Serves 4-6.

VERDICT:  This really does take a long time, both chopping and cooking.  It's especially tedious when you have to guard the stovetop constantly from jumping kittens.  However, it is really good.  The mint is a surprisingly excellent addition--don't skip it.  Keep.

Sunflower Seed Pesto

• 1/2 cup raw shelled sunflower seeds
• 1 small garlic clove
• 2 cups (packed) arugula leaves
• 1 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• Kosher salt 

Rinse sunflower seeds, put in a small bowl or jar, and add cold water to cover seeds by 1 inch. Cover; soak overnight at room temperature. Drain and rinse seeds. 

 

Purée sunflower seeds, garlic, arugula, basil, oil, honey, and lemon zest and juice until smooth. Season with salt. Thin pesto with water if too thick. 

 

Serves 8; 70 calories.

VERDICT:  I wanted to like this--it was really easy to make--but it has a bitter edge from the arugula that I found unpleasant.  It also turned a sludgy brown after any amount of time in the refrigerator.  Toss.

Ricotta Gnudi with Quick Pomodoro Sauce

  Gnudi:

• 16 ounces ricotta (about 2 cups)
• 1 large egg, beaten to blend
• 1 large egg yolk, beaten to blend
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan or Grana Padano plus more
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour plus more

Using a slotted spoon, divide gnudi among bowls. Top with Quick Pomodoro Sauce and more Parmesan.

Mix ricotta, egg, egg yolk, pepper, 1/2 cup Parmesan, and 1/2 teaspoons salt in a large bowl until well combined. Add 1/2 cup flour; stir just until combined and mixture forms a ball (mixture will be soft and moist with some bits of ricotta remaining; add more flour by the tablespoonful if it feels wet).

Dust a rimmed baking sheet generously with flour. Using 2 large soup spoons, shape heaping tablespoonfuls of dough into football shapes; place on baking sheet and dust with more flour (you should have 30).

Cook gnudi in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until cooked through and tender, 5-6 minutes (gnudi will quickly float to surface; continue cooking or gnudi will be gummy in the center).

Quick Pomodoro Sauce:

• 1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• Kosher salt

Pulse tomatoes with juices in a blender to form a coarse purée. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring often, until beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add tomato purée and sugar and season with salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer gently until sauce is slightly thickened, 10-15 minutes. DO AHEAD: Sauce can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Serves 6; 440 calories.

VERDICT:  I think we were reaching a bit, trying to make gnudi.  They were misshapen and we put them in the wrong bowls, so they fell apart on the eating.  The sauce was easy and quite good, though.  Toss.

   

Cavatappi with Spinach, Beans and Asiago Cheese

8 cups coarsely chopped spinach leaves 

4 cups hot cooked cavatappi (about 6 ounces uncooked spiral-shaped pasta)

1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Asiago cheese

2 tablespoons olive oil 

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 (19-ounce) can cannellini beans or other white beans, drained 

2 garlic cloves, crushed

Cracked black pepper (optional)

Combine first 8 ingredients in a large bowl; toss well. Sprinkle with cracked black pepper, if desired.

Serves 4 (2 cups); 401 calories.

VERDICT: Simple and easy, but punchy from the raw garlic and salty and savory from cheese.  The recipe says to use whatever pasta, beans, or cheese you have on hand--John used rigatoni, baby spinach, and Parmesan, and it turned out beautifully.  Keep.

Cavatelli with Beets and Swiss Chard

• 5 or 6 good-quality slices white bread
• 2 tablespoons chopped plus 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, plus 1 sprig
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to taste
• 8 ounces chilled fresh goat cheese, cut into 8 rounds (each 1/2 inch thick)
• 2 pounds beets, greens removed
• 2 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
• 1 pound red Swiss chard
• 1 pound dried cavatelli, or orechiette
• 6 to 8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

Remove and discard crust from bread, and pulse bread in food processor into soft, small crumbs. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Combine breadcrumbs and rosemary in a small bowl. Pour 3 tablespoons olive oil onto a plate or a shallow bowl. Coat each round of goat cheese in olive oil, and dredge in breadcrumb mixture. Arrange cheese on the prepared parchment-lined pan or on a large plate, and place in the refrigerator to chill until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight.

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Cut beets in half, and toss with 2 tablespoons oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Arrange beets in one layer on aluminum foil, cut side down, and place rosemary sprig on top of the beets. Cover beets with another piece of aluminum foil, and seal the edges all around, creating a rectangular packet. Bake on the lowest shelf of the oven until beets are fork tender, about 30 minutes. Let stand until cool enough to handle. Peel beets; cut the larger ones in half, and set aside.

Strip chard leaves from stems. Discard stems, or saute for later use. Rinse and drain the leaves. Do not dry them. Place chard leaves in a large pot over medium heat, and sprinkle them with 2 teaspoons salt. Cover pot, and cook over medium heat, opening the lid only to stir, until just wilted. Remove from the heat, return to the colander, and rinse with cold water to stop them from cooking. Using your hands, gently squeeze any excess water from chard, and coarsely chop; you should have about 2 cups. Set chard aside, but leave the pot on stove.

Meanwhile, fill a pasta pot with water, and set over high heat. Bring to a boil, add 1 tablespoon salt, and stir in pasta. Let cook until pasta is al dente, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat, drain in a colander, and set aside.

Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in the chard pot over medium heat. Add garlic, and cook slowly until garlic is just toasted, stirring often. Add chard, remaining 1 teaspoon rosemary, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and saute until chard is wilted, about 3 minutes. Add pasta, toss, and cook just until hot. Adjust seasoning to taste with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and transfer pasta to a large serving platter. Arrange beets over pasta.

Bake cheese in the oven until very soft to the touch, heated through, and golden brown, 6 to 7 minutes. Remove from oven, arrange hot cheese around platter of pasta, and serve immediately.

Serves 6 (if they eat like ravenous monsters).

VERDICT: Finally, a recipe that's not afraid of salt! There's salt in the chard, salt on the beets, salt in the pasta water, and an option to season with salt at the end. The end result was savory and delicious. I made some minor substitutions--gemelli for cavatelli, golden beets for red beets, and I halved the recipe--which I don't think affected the flavors much. It took forever to make, but has pretty straightforward ingredients. Keep.

Cauliflower Penne Puttanesca

• 3/4 lb. penne or other short pasta
• 3 T olive oil
• 1 small head cauliflower (about 1.5 lbs), cored and cut into small florets
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 28-oz can whole peeled tomatoes
• 1/2 c. pitted kalamata olives, chopped
• 2 T capers, rinsed
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 2 T chopped flat-leaf parsley
• grated Parmesan, for serving

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and return to pot.

2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cauliflower, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. black pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until golden, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and their juices, olives, capers, and crushed red pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up the tomatoes with a spoon, until the cauliflower is tender, 8 to 10 minutes more.

3. Toss the pasta with the sauce. Serve topped with the parsley and Parmesan.

VERDICT: Pretty easy, pretty good, and reheats well. Does make the entire house/break room smell weird. Keep.