Creamy Shiitake Pappardelle

Creamy Shiitake Pappardelle
Serves 3–4

1 pound pappardelle pasta
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, divided
4 slices (1/4 pound) bacon, diced
2 shallots, finely chopped (about 1/3 cup)
1 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced
(or Baby Bella, porcini, or chanterelle mushrooms)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 pint heavy cream, divided
1/2 Read more

Pasta with Garlicky Spinach, Cannelloni Beans and Pine Nuts

This is a recipe that lends itself to interpretation—and always turns out tasty.

Pasta with Garlicky Spinach, Cannelloni Beans, and Pine Nuts
Yield: 4 servings

16 ounces rigatoni or rotini (or other short pasta)
4 tablespoons unsalted Kerrygold butter
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup pine nuts (or salted pistachios or almonds)
6 large garlic cloves, chopped (or … Read more

Uncle Johnny’s Lasagne

My uncle Johnny came from a large Italian family in New York City. After World War II, he ended up in San Francisco, where he met and married my mother’s sister. I learned all my best Italian recipes from him, and this might be my favorite because it’s so easy … and, of course, delicious.

Uncle Johnny’s Lasagne
6 servingsRead more

Spaghetti and Meatballs

These meatballs freeze well, and are great for both sandwiches and spaghetti. This is an easy recipe to double for a crowd.

Spaghetti and Meatballs
Serves 6

MEATBALLS
1 cup (about 3 ounces) panko bread crumbs
3/4 cup buttermilk (or 1/2 cup of plain yogurt thinned with 1/4 cup milk)
3/4 teaspoon powdered gelatin, dissolved in 1-1/2 tablespoons cold water… Read more

Fettuccine Alfredo

This is the classic, rich Roman pasta dish. Fresh pasta is the best choice, here. When boiling the pasta, undercook it slightly (even shy of al dente) because the pasta cooks an additional minute or two in the sauce. Note that Fettuccine Alfredo must be served immediately; it does not hold or reheat well.

Fettuccine Alfredo
Serves 4-6

1-1/2 cups … Read more

Classic Lasagna Pasticciate

This is the magical lasagna recipe from the 1967 edition of “The Cooking of Italy.” The book is long out of print, but I found a scan of the recipe online. The original recipe calls for twice as many chicken livers, which was too much for my taste, but either way, this is the most amazing lasagne you will ever … Read more