Easy Haddock, Green Bean, and Artichoke Paella Recipe

Use paella rice if you can find it for this recipe, instead of the basmati. Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
Haddock, or cod or any other white fish
1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra if needed
1 onion, finely chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
pinch of turmeric
2 garlic cloves, grated or finely chopped
7oz (200g) green beans, trimmed
91⁄2oz (280g) jar artichoke hearts, drained and rinsed
4 tomatoes, skinned, seeded, and chopped
pinch of hot or regular paprika
14oz (400g) basmati rice
5 cups hot vegetable stock
11⁄2lb (675g) haddock fillets, pinboned, skinned,
and cut into chunky pieces
handful of dill or flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
juice of 1 lemon

Directions:

• Heat the oil in a large, heavy frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt, and saute for about 5 minutes until soft and translucent. Stir in the turmeric, then add the garlic, beans, and artichokes. Cook gently for about 5 minutes until the beans begin to wilt, adding a little more oil if needed.
• Now add the tomatoes and paprika, and cook for 5 minutes. Add in the rice, and stir. Pour in half the hot stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes. Add the remaining stock and the fish, cover, and cook over low heat for 10 minutes, or until the rice and fish are cooked.
• Keep the lid on the pan until ready to serve, then stir in the fresh herbs and lemon juice. Taste, adjust the seasoning, and serve.

Easy Seafood Spaghetti Recipe

Ingredients:
350g/12oz dried spaghetti
500g/1lb 2oz mussels
700g/11/2lb squid, cleaned
500g/1lb small littleneck clams
300g/11oz shrimps
4 cloves garlic
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
250ml/9fl oz dry white wine
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 dried red chillies, finely chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

• Soak the mussels and clams in water for an hour. Discard any broken mussels or clams, or open ones that don’t close when tapped on the work surface. Under cold running water, scrub the mussels and clams thoroughly to remove any grit, pulling out the beards from the mussels.
• In a large deep frying pan over a medium heat, sweat 1 clove of the garlic in 2 tablespoons of the oil. Increase the heat to high, and add the mussels and clams with half of the wine. Cover with a tight-fitting lid, and cook for about 5 minutes until the shells are open (discard any that remain closed). Remove from the heat and discard the garlic.
• Slice the squid into rings and finely chop the remaining garlic. Heat the remaining oil in another pan, and sauté the garlic, parsley and chillies for a few minutes. Add the squid and cook until the edges curl.
• Pour in the remaining wine and cover. Cook for 10 minutes. Add the shrimps (just the tails) and cook for a few more minutes before adding the clams and mussels. Simmer for another few minutes, then remove from the heat.
• Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil, add the spaghetti and cook until al dente. Drain and add the seafood mixture to the spaghetti, mixing well.Stir over a low heat for a couple of minutes. Serve piping hot.

Macaroni and Four-Cheese Casserole with Asparagus and Prosciutto

This is a layered mac-and-cheese. Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:

4 ounces Asiago, shredded
4 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano, shredded
4 ounces Pecorino Romano, shredded
4 ounces mozzarella, shredded
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus additional for the baking dish
1⁄2 pound thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped
12 ounces pencil-thin asparagus spears, peeled and cut into sections to match the length of the dried pasta you’ve selected (see Note)
1 large onion, chopped
1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups (1 quart) whole or low-fat milk (do not use fat-free), at room temperature
12 ounces dried ziti, rigatoni, or fusilli, cooked and drained
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1⁄4 teaspoon ground allspice

Procedures:

Mix the cheeses in a large bowl and set aside.

Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F . Lightly butter a 3-quart, high-sided, round baking dish; set it aside.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet. Add the prosciutto and cook, stirring often, until brown and crispy, about 3 minutes. Stir in the asparagus and set aside.

Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes, stirring frequently.

Sprinkle the flour over the onion, wait for 5 seconds, and cook, stirring constantly so the flour loses its raw taste, about 15 seconds. Do not brown.

Whisk in the milk in a slow, steady stream. Continue cooking, whisking all the while, until the mixture thickens and begins to bubble, about 3 minutes. Stir in the cooked pasta, dry mustard, and allspice, as well as the prosciutto and asparagus mixture.

Place one-quarter of the pasta and cream sauce in the baking dish; top with a quarter of the cheese. Spoon a third of the remaining pasta and cream sauce in the dish, coating it to the sides of the dish; top with a third of the remaining cheese. Spoon half the remaining pasta sauce into the dish; top with half the remaining cheese. Finally, add the remaining pasta sauce to the dish and then the remaining cheese.

Bake until gooey and lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes before serving.

Note: Shave asparagus with a vegetable peeler, taking off the tough, outer skin. If the spears are too thick, simply continue shaving them down until they become pencil width.

Pasta Dishes with Moderate Preparation

Pasta Marinara

Look no further for the most versatile pasta sauce. Makes about 2 cups.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, fi  nely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced oregano or 2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon stemmed thyme or 2 teaspoons dried thyme
One 28-ounce can whole tomatoes (3 1⁄2 cups)
1 bay leaf
1⁄4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound fresh or 12 ounces dried pasta, cooked and drained

Procedures:

Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Pour in the olive oil, then add the onion and sauté until soft, about 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the garlic, oregano, and thyme; sauté just until you can really smell the herbs, about 10 seconds.

Pour in the tomatoes and crush them with a wooden spoon or a pastry cutter. The sauce should be chunky, but with no large pieces. Add the bay leaf and nutmeg; bring the sauce to a simmer.

Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until thickened, about 20 minutes. You want a wet sauce, not too thick, but also not soupy. Season with salt and pepper. T o serve, place about 1 cup of the sauce in a serving bowl or platter. Top with the warm noodles, then pour on the rest of the sauce.

To store: Omit the pasta and spoon the sauce into a plastic container or a ziplock freezer bag; store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

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Four Adaptations of Marinara Sauce

Pasta Fra Diavolo: Omit the thyme and nutmeg, increase the garlic to 4 cloves, and add 1 to 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes with the oregano.

Pasta à la Vodka: Drain the tomatoes before you add them to the sauce; add 3⁄4 cup vodka with them (be careful of alcohol around an open flame). Once the sauce has simmered and thickened, stir in 1 cup heavy cream, bring the sauce to a full boil, and cook for an additional 3 minutes at high heat, just to let the cream condense. Although we prefer a chunky vodka sauce, you can use an immersion blender off the heat to turn this into a smooth sauce, or you can cool the sauce for a few minutes, then pour it into a large blender or food processor and puree the sauce.

Pasta Puttanesca: Omit the nutmeg and salt. Add 1⁄4 cup chopped pitted black olives, 2 tablespoons rinsed capers, and 4 chopped anchovy fillets with the oregano and thyme.

Basic Pizza Sauce: Omit the pasta. Cool the sauce, then place it in a food processor fitted with the chopping blade. Add 1 teaspoon sugar; pulse just until any big chunks are blended, but not until the sauce is smooth. Use this as a topping to your favorite pizza; store whatever’s left over in a plastic bag or container in the freezer for up to 1 month.

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Four Easy Marinara Dishes

Pasta Marinara with Clams: Stir 2 pounds clams, cleaned of any sand, into the pot during the last few minutes of cooking. Cover the pot and cook until the clams open, about 3 minutes. Discard any clams that do not open.

Pasta Marinara with Shrimp: Stir in 1 1⁄2 pounds cleaned and deveined medium shrimp (about 35 per pound) during the last few minutes of cooking. Cover the pan and cook until the shrimp are pink and firm, about 2 minutes.

Pasta Marinara with Squid: Sauté 1 pound cleaned squid, cut into rings, in a large skillet set over medium heat with 1 tablespoon olive oil until cooked through, about 3 minutes. Add the contents of the skillet to the marinara during the last 2 or 3 minutes of cooking.

Mussels Marinara: Forget the pasta altogether. During the last few minutes of cooking, add 2 pounds mussels, cleaned and debearded, to the sauce. Cover and simmer about 2 minutes, just until the mussels open. Discard any that do not open.

Sauced Pasta Dishes with Little Preparation

Pasta con Salsa Cruda (Pasta with a No-Cook Tomato Sauce)

This no-cook sauce is best when tomatoes are at their ripest. Prepare the sauce fi  rst so it can be tossed with the still-warm pasta. Makes enough sauce for 1 pound fresh or 12 ounces dried pasta.

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1⁄2 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1⁄2 teaspoon sugar
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds ripe Italian plum tomatoes (about 8 tomatoes)
1⁄4 cup chopped basil leaves
1 pound fresh or 12 ounces dried pasta, cooked and drained

Procedures:

Whisk the olive oil, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.

Cut the tomatoes into several sections, then hold these over the sink or a trash can and scoop out the seeds and their membranes with a small spoon or your fi  nger, thereby preserving the flesh. Roughly chop the fl  esh, then add it and the basil to the olive oil dressing. Stir well, then set aside for 5 to 10 minutes to marinate while you cook the pasta.

Toss the drained, still-warm pasta with the fresh tomato sauce.

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Pasta with Pecan Pesto

This light, untraditional pesto matches well with fresh pasta. Makes enough sauce for 1 pound fresh or 12 ounces dried pasta.

Ingredients:

For the Pecan Pesto:
1⁄4 cup pecan pieces
2 cups tightly packed basil leaves
1⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons water
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
1 1⁄2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
2 garlic cloves, quartered

For the Noodles:
1 pound fresh or 12 ounces dried pasta, cooked and drained

Procedures:

To make the Pecan Pesto, toast the pecans in a dry skillet set over medium-low heat until lightly browned and aromatic, about 4 minutes, stirring often. Pour into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the chopping blade and cool for 5 minutes.

Add the basil, olive oil, water, pepper, salt, cheese, and garlic to the food processor. Close the lid and pulse a few times to break up the chunks. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and process until fairly smooth. Alternatively, grind the toasted pecans, basil, pepper, salt, and garlic in a mortar with a pestle; once finely ground, about like cornmeal, grind in the olive oil and water in small splashes, then stir in the cheese.

Pour the pesto over the still-warm noodles.

To store the pesto: Spoon it into a glass jar or a small plastic container, cover with a light film of olive oil, and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

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Pasta with a Sautéed Garlic Sauce

All this simple, traditional Italian dish needs is a glass of red wine, some crunchy bread, and a vinegary salad. Makes enough sauce for 1 pound fresh or 12 ounces dried pasta.

Ingredients:

6 garlic cloves, minced
1⁄3 cup olive oil
1⁄4 teaspoon red pepper fl  akes
1 pound fresh or 12 ounces dried pasta, cooked and drained
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 cup chopped parsley leaves

Procedures:

So that the garlic begins to infuse the oil even before it starts to cook, put the garlic and the oil in a large skillet, then set the skillet over very low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic softens and turns golden, about 7 minutes.

Add the red pepper flakes, then the cooked pasta. Toss, then remove the skillet from the heat, and sprinkle on the salt and parsley.

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Pasta with a Roasted Garlic Sauce

The sweetness of roasted garlic melts into the oil to create a luscious sauce. Use only fresh rosemary dried rosemary won’t have time to soften. Makes enough sauce for 1 pound fresh or 12 ounces dried pasta.

Ingredients:

2 garlic heads, roasted
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped rosemary leaves
1 pound fresh or 12 ounces dried pasta, cooked and drained

Procedures:

Squeeze the roasted garlic out of the hulls and into a small bowl. Add the salt and pepper; mash with a fork until creamy.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and olive oil. Once the butter has melted, stir in the mashed garlic puree and let it melt somewhat, stirring constantly. Add the rosemary and cook until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add the pasta and toss to coat.

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Pasta with Butter and Fresh Herbs

Simple and rich, this is a great first course. Just don’t pair it with a creamy main course. Makes enough sauce for 1 pound fresh or 12 ounces dried pasta.

Ingredients:

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 medium shallot, minced
2 tablespoons chopped rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon chopped oregano leaves
1 tablespoon stemmed thyme
1 pound fresh or 12 ounces dried pasta, cooked and drained
2 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves
1⁄4 to 1⁄2 teaspoon salt

Procedures:

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Continue cooking just until the foam subsides. Do not let the butter brown; if it does, immediately remove the skillet from the heat.

Add the shallot and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the rosemary, oregano, and thyme; cook just until wilted, about 5 seconds.

Toss in the pasta, parsley, and salt. Stir well and serve.

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Pasta with a Walnut Sauce

We’re quite partial to this crunchy sauce. Double or even triple the garlic, if you like. Makes enough sauce for 1 pound fresh or 12 ounces dried pasta.

Ingredients:

1⁄2 cup walnut pieces
1⁄4 cup plain dried bread crumbs
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons walnut oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound fresh or 12 ounces dried pasta, cooked and drained

Procedures:

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the walnuts and toast until lightly browned and aromatic, about 4 minutes, tossing frequently. Empty into the bowl of a food processor; cool for 10 minutes. Add the bread crumbs, salt, and pepper; process until fi  nely ground. Set aside.

Return the skillet to medium heat and add the walnut oil and butter. When the butter has melted, add the garlic. Sauté just until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the cooked pasta, toss, and transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle the ground walnut mixture over the top before serving.

Homemade Pasta

Here are instructions for how to make pasta dough and shape it into noodles.

Directions:

To make pasta by hand:
Whisk the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Make a small well, piling the dry ingredients up the sides; or dump the mixture out onto a clean, flat work surface and make a well in the center of the pile.

Place the wet ingredients in the well. Using a fork, begin beating the wet ingredients, adding a little of the dry mixture from the well’s walls.

Whisking with the fork, incorporate more and more of the dry ingredients into the wet. Once the mixture in the center turns pasty, start collapsing the well’s walls into the wet ingredients, whisking in more and more of the fl  our mixture until a wet dough forms. If you’re working in a bowl, when the dry ingredients have been almost all incorporated into the wet, turn the contents of the bowl out onto a clean, dry work surface.

Knead the dough just until it holds its shape, incorporating as much of the dry ingredients into the wet as possible. Use the heel of one hand to press gently into the dough, twisting without tearing as you incorporate the dry ingredients. Add a few drops of water if the dough is brittle, a little more flour if it’s sticky. (On any given day, flour and eggs have varying moisture contents; pasta can end up slightly drier in one batch than another.)

Divide the dough into 4 lemon-sized balls. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest at room temperature for 10 or 15 minutes.


To make pasta in a food processor:
Place the dry ingredients in a food processor fitted with a chopping blade. Pulse a couple of times to combine.

Add the wet ingredients all at once. Process just until a dough begins to form.

Turn the barely cohering dough out onto a clean, dry, lightly floured work surface. Y ou will now undoubtedly need to add more fl  our than you would to the handmade pasta dough because of the way the food processor disassembles the proteins and glutens in the dough.


Seven Pasta Variations

No-Yolk Pasta
Makes about 1 pound fresh pasta
Dry Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose fl  our, plus more for dusting and to keep the dough from sticking
1⁄2 cup whole wheat flour
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
4 large egg whites, at room temperature, lightly beaten
1⁄2 tablespoon water


Note: Once it is formed in lemon-sized balls, let
this pasta rest 1 hour before rolling it out.

Whole Wheat Pasta
Makes about 1 pound fresh pasta
Dry Ingredients
1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose fl  our, plus more for dusting and to keep the dough from sticking
1 cup whole wheat flour
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Wet Ingredients
4 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
1⁄4 cup olive oil

Chestnut Pasta
Makes about 1 pound fresh pasta
Dry Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose fl  our, plus more for dusting and to keep the dough from sticking
1 cup chestnut flour
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
3 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons walnut oil

Beet Pasta
Makes about 1 pound fresh pasta
Dry Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting and to keep the dough from sticking
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
1⁄2 cup beet puree (see Note)
1 tablespoon olive oil


Note: To make beet puree, cook 2 peeled and halved medium beets in a large pot of boiling water set over high heat until tender when pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes. Drain, reserving about 2 tablespoons of the cooking water. Cool, then cut into chunks and puree in a food processor fitted with the chopping blade with just as much cooking water as you need to make a puree. Or puree two medium canned beets in a food processor.

Butternut Squash Pasta
Makes about 1 pound fresh pasta
Dry Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose fl  our, plus more for dusting and to keep the dough from sticking
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1⁄2 cup mashed cooked butternut squash puree (see Note)


Note: To make a butternut squash puree, cut a small 1-pound butternut squash in half, scoop out the seeds, and roast it on a lipped baking sheet, cut side down, in a preheated 400°F oven until soft, about 30 minutes. Cool, then scoop out the soft, inner fl  esh; you’ll have more puree than you need, but what’s left over makes a great side dish, mashed like potatoes.

Red Pepper Pasta
Makes about 1 pound fresh pasta
Dry Ingredients
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting and to keep the dough from sticking
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten, at room temperature
1 cup red pepper puree (see Note)


Note: Four jarred pimientos, drained and rinsed, should yield about 1 cup puree when processed in a food processor or a large blender.

Spinach Pasta
Makes about 1 pound fresh pasta
Dry Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose fl  our, plus more for dusting and to keep the dough from sticking
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
1 large egg plus 1 large egg white, at room temperature
1 tablespoon olive oil
One 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed of all excess moisture, and pureed in a food processor or large blender