By Cheryl Orr
Pasta is my go-to for a satisfying and economical dinner. There are so many varieties of this truly international food. I love all the Asian noodles used in dishes from pad Thai to pho, as well as German spaetzle, Greek orzo and Polish pierogis. Pasta was thought to be first made by Asian cultures and brought to Italy from China by Marco Polo in the 13 th century. The rest is history.
The Italian word pasta refers to “paste” because the dough is made from a simple combination of flour and water, with sometimes egg and olive oil. Making pasta dough can be quick work with a dough hook on a stand mixer, but there are many good fresh pastas available at grocery stores as well as good, dried pastas such as De Cecco.
Italian pasta comes in over 350 shapes and sizes from long pasta, short pasta, pasta for filling and pasta for soups. Some shapes and sizes are better for holding sauces in their ridges, while others are better for baked dishes.
In Italy the pasta shapes used for soups are tortellini and pastinas, or small pastas, such as
ditalini, stelline, and acini di pepe. Ditalini are tiny tubular pasta and stelline are miniature stars. Acini di pepe means “seeds of pepper” for their resemblance to peppercorns, and I like to use this pasta shape in a hearty Italian stew.
This week, I have included my recipe for Tuscan Winter Stew. When adding pasta to soups and stews, it’s always best to cook the pasta separately in well-salted water, drain, and toss in olive oil, and then add to the soup last to prevent overcooking as well as to prevent additional starch in the soup or stew’s liquid. This recipe lends itself to many variations of ground meats and vegetables, so please adjust to your preference.
Enjoy!
If you have a cooking question, contact me at cher.orr@gmail.com and I’d be happy to assist!
Tuscan Winter Stew
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS
- 1 lb. dried Acini di Pepe pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more if needed
- 1 pound Italian sausage mild, casings removed
- 1 large onion, diced
- 8 large cloves garlic, whole
- 2 cups cremini mushrooms, quartered
- 1 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced
- 2 teaspoons dried Italian herb seasoning
- Pinch crushed red pepper
- 1 cup vodka
- 4 cups crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 3 cups baby spinach, stems removed
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 cup fresh basil, stems removed
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more
- Salt and pepper to taste
PREPARATION
- Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Cook acini di pepe for 5 minutes or until al dente. Do not overcook. Remove cooked pasta and toss with olive oil in a bowl and set aside. Stir occasionally while cooling to prevent clumping.
- Finely crumble and brown sausage in a deep skillet. Remove and set aside.
- In the same skillet in the rendered sausage fat sauté onion. Add garlic, herbs, and mushrooms and cook until softened. Cook one minute. Stir vodka and simmer for five minutes. Stir in crushed tomatoes and paste, and honey, and season with salt, and pepper to taste. Gently simmer sauce. Add the cooked sausage, spinach and balsamic vinegar, tossing gently until just softened, and season to taste. Turn off heat and stir in basil, parmesan, and cooked pasta. Serve with additional grated parmesan and fresh basil.
Cheryl Orr is offering weekly Canapé Club at the Patisserie at Edenton Bay, as well as Supper Club that all can attend. She is currently completing her cookbook, and offering private cooking classes, small catering, and private chef dinners.
Let us know what you think by leaving a comment. Comments are subject to approval.