Easy Italian Recipes

 MAKES 4-6 servings

- 1 large or 2 medium eggplants (aubergines)
- Olive oil for frying, plus 1/3 cup (3 fl oz/80 ml)
- 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2-21/2 Ib (1-1.25 kg) fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped, or 1 can (28 oz/875 g) plum (Roma) tomatoes, seeded and chopped, with juice
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 lb (500 g) spaghetti
- 1/2 cup (1/2 oz/15 g) fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces
- 1/2 cup (2 oz/60 g) coarsely grated ricotta salata cheese, plus more for garnish
- 1/2 cup (2 oz/60 g) grated pecorino romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Sicilians are masters of cooking eggplant, and their island home is the source of countless delicious and interesting ways to prepare it. In the past when meat was scarce, eggplant, with its meaty look and flavor, was often substituted. This recipe, named for the opera Norma, by Catania-born Vincenzo Bellini, is typical of Sicilian cooking. Ricotta salata is a salted, pressed form of ricotta. if it is unavailable, a mild feta cheese can be used instead.

Trim the eggplant, then cut crosswise into slices 1/2 inch (12 mm) thick. Layer the slices in a colander set over a plate, sprinkling each layer with salt, and let stand for 30 minutes to drain. Rinse the eggplant slices quickly under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.

Line a large platter or tray with paper towels and set it next to the stove. Pour the olive oil to a depth of 1/2 inch (12 mm) into a large, heavy frying pan and piace over medium heat until hot. Working in batches, add the eggplant slices in a single layer, being careful not to crowd the pan. Fry, turning once, until lightly browned on both sides, about 8 minutes total. Using tongs, transfer the slices to the towellined platter to drain. Fry the remaining slices in the same way, adding more oil oil to the pan as needed.
In a frying pan over medium heat, warm the 1/3 cup olive oil. Add the onion and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until the sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot three-fourths full of water to a rolling boil and add about 2 tablespoons salt. Add the spaghetti, stir well, and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, according to the package directions.
Just before the pasta is ready, remove the sauce from the heat. Cut the eggplant slices into strips and stir the strips into the tomato sauce along with the basil.
Drain the pasta and transfer it into a warmed serving bowl. Add the sauce, the 1/2 cup ricotta salata, and the pecorino romano and stir and toss well to combine. Garnish with more ricotta salata and serve at once.

Buon appetito!

 MAKES 4-6 servings

- 1 Ib (500 g) Manila or other small clams or cockles, scrubbed
- 1 Ib (500 g) mussels, scrubbed and debearded
- 1/3 cup (3 fl oz/80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced Pinch of red pepper flakes
- 2 cups (about 12 oz/375 g) cherry or grape tomatoes, stemmed and halved
- 1/2 Ib (250 g) cleaned squid, bodies cut into rings 1/2 inch (12 mm) wide and tentacles halved through the base
- 12 shrimp (prawns), peeled and deveined
- Sea salt
- 1/2 cup (4 fl oz/125 ml) dry white wine
- 1 lb (500 g) spaghetti or linguine
- 2 tablespoons torn fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley leaves

Neapolitan cooks use small, sweet tomatoes called ciliegini for this seafood pasta, believing that the bolder flavor of larger tomatoes would compete with the delicate taste of the seafood. The pasta can be made with just one or two varieties of seafood, increasing their amounts accordingly. Italians never serve grated cheese with seafood pasta. Toasted bread crumbs make a delicious, crunchy garnish that is perfect with seafood.

Place the clams and mussels in a large pot, discarding any that do not dose to the touch. Add 1/4 cup (2 fl oz/60 ml) water, piace over medium heat, cover, and cook until the shells open, 3-5 minutes. Lift out the clams and mussels with a slotted spoon and piace in a large bowl, discarding any that fail to open.
Pour the liquid from the pot into a separate bowl. Remove the clams and mussels from their shells, discard the shells, and piace in a clean bowl. If they seem sandy, rinse them in their cooking liquid. Strain the liquid through a paper coffee filter or a fine-mesh sieve lined with dampened cheesecloth (muslin) into the bowl with the clams and mussels and set aside.

In a large frying pan, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté until the garlic is golden, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring often, until they begin to collapse and release their juices, about 5 minutes. Stir in the squid and shrimp and season with salt. Pour in the wine and simmer until the squid and shrimp are nearly tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the clams and mussels and their liquid and cook for 5 minutes longer to heat through and blend the flavors.

While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot three-fourths full of water to a rolling boil and add about 2 tablespoons salt. Add the spaghetti, stir well, and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, according to the package directions. Scoop out and reserve about 2 ladlefuls of the cooking water, then drain the pasta.
Add the drained pasta to the sauce in the pan and stir and toss over low heat until well coated with the sauce, adjusting the consistency with some of the cooking water as needed. Transfer to a warmed serving bowl, sprinkle with the parsley, and serve at once.

Buon appetito!

 MAKES 4-6 servings

- 6 oz (185 g) pancetta or bacon, preferably at least 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick, chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 Ib (500 g) spaghetti
- 1/4 cup (1 oz/30 g) grated pecorino romano cheese
- 1/4 cup (1 oz/30 g) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 2 large whole eggs, plus 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature

The origin of this Roman dish has long been in dispute. Was it invented by local carbonari (charcoal makers)? Or was it a practical way to use bacon and egg rations during World War II? Whatever its origin, the success of this simple dish is all about technique: you must mix the raw eggs into the hot spaghetti until they are no longer liquid but have not yet formed curds.

In a large frying pan over medium-low heat, combine the pancetta and olive oil and heat slowly until much of the fat is rendered and the meat has browned a little, about 15 minutes. Leave the meat and fat in the pan and cover to keep warm.
Bring a large pot three-fourths full of water to a rolling boil and add about 2 tablespoons salt. Add the spaghetti, stir well, and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, according to the package directions.
Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix together the cheeses. In another bowl, whisk together the whole eggs and egg yolk until well blended. Stir the cheese mixture and several grinds of pepper into the eggs.
From this point on, timing and temperature are crucial. Put a large serving bowl in the sink and set a colander in the serving bowl. When the spaghetti is ready, pour it into the colander, so that its cooking water will warm the serving bowl. Grab the colander quickly out of the water and shake a couple of times. Toss the drained spaghetti into the pan with the pancetta and stir a couple of times to coat the pasta with the fat. Being careful not to burn your fingers, empty the hot water from the serving bowl, reserving about 2 ladlefuls. Transfer the pasta to the warmed bowl, add the egg mixture, and stir and toss vigorously with a wooden spoon to coat the pasta evenly. Adjust the consistency of the sauce with some of the cooking water if needed. Divide among warmed plates and serve at once.

Buon appetito!

 MAKES 4-6 servings

- 2 teaspoons peppercorns Sea salt
- 1 lb (500 g) spaghetti
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups (6 oz/185 g) grated pecorino romano cheese

Pasta, grated cheese, and black pepper—it sounds simple. And it is, but that simplicity demands excellent ingredients: freshly grated pecorino romano cheese, freshly cracked black pepper, a superb extra-virgin olive oil, and, if you have time, freshly made pasta. In Lazio, the sauce is tossed with tonnarelli, a fresh square-cut strand pasta, but spaghetti can be substituted.

Bring a large pot three-fourths full of water to a rolling boil. While the water is heating, begin making the sauce. Put the peppercorns in a small frying pan over low heat and heat, shaking the pan occasionally, until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, pour into a cloth napkin or on a piece of waxed paper, and crush with a meat mallet or the bottom of a heavy frying pan.
When the water is boiling, add about 2 tablespoons salt. Add the spaghetti, stir well, and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost al dente, according to  the package directions.

While the spaghetti cooks, scoop out a ladleful of the cooking water and add it and the olive oil to a large frying pan. Add a small handful of the cheese and mix vigorously with a fork or whisk. When the pasta is ready, scoop out and reserve 11/2 cups (12 fl oz/375 ml) of the cooking water, then drain the pasta.
Add the drained pasta to the frying pan and piace over low heat. Gradually add the remaining cheese, the crushed pepper, and spoonfuls of the cooking water as needed to make a creamy sauce, stirring and tossing for about 3 minutes to finish cooking the pasta and to coat the strands evenly with the sauce. Divide among warmed bowls and serve at once.

Buon appetito!

 MAKES 4 servings

- 2 Ib (1 kg) Manila or other small clams or cockles, scrubbed
- 1/2 cup (4 fl oz/125 ml) dry white wine
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 Ib (500 g) linguine or spaghetti
- 1/2 cup (4 fI oz/125 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Generous pinch of red pepper flakes
- Large handful of fresh fiat-leaf (Italian) parsley leaves, coarsely chopped

The best clams for this pasta are Manila or littlenecks. Choose the smallest ones you can find, as they are the most tender. Tiny New Zealand cockles, now widely available in many fish markets, are another excellent choice, though they result in a more delicately flavored sauce.

Bring a large pot three-fourths full of water to a rolling boil. Meanwhile, put the clams in a separate large saucepan or pot, discarding any that do not dose to the touch. Pour in the wine, piace over medium-high heat, and cook, stirring the clams occasionally, until they start to open, 2-3 minutes. Pull each clam from the pot as it opens and piace in a large bowl (some take longer than others; if you leave them ali in the pot, the early openers will be overcooked). Discard any clams that fail to open. Strain the clam broth through a paper coffee filter or a fine mash sieve lined with dampened cheesecloth (mislin) into a bowl and the aside.

When the water is boiling, add about 2 tablespoons salt. Add the linguine, stir well, and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, according to package directions.
Meanwhile, in a large frying pan, warm the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and sauté until lightly golden, about 30 seconds. Add the reserved clam broth and the lemon juice and simmer over low heat unti] slightly reduced, about 4 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and black pepper to taste. Taste and adjust the seasoning with a pinch of salt, if necessary.
Drain the linguine well and add it to the sauce in the pan. Add the clams in their shells and any juices that have accumulated. Stir and toss well over low heat for about 1 minute to coat the pasta. Transfer to a warmed serving bowl, add the parsley, and toss gently. Serve at once.

Buon appetito!

 MAKES 4-6 servings

- 5 tablespoons (21/2 oz/75 g) unsalted butter
- 2 carrots, finely chopped
- 1 small celery stalk, finely chopped
- 1 small yellow onion, fìnely chopped
- 2 Ib (1 kg) fresh plum (Roma) tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped, or 1 can (28 oz/875 g) plum (Roma) tomatoes, drained and chopped
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 lb (500 g) spaghetti
- 10 fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces
- 1/2 cup (2 oz/60 g) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving

Cooking the carrots, onion, and celery in butter, a mixture known as a soffritto, imparts a mild, sweet fiavor to this simple sauce. But the primary component is stili tornato, which rneans using vineripened plum tomatoes in summer and the best-quality canned tomatoes, such as italy's superb San Marzano variety, the rest of the year. To make a creamy tomato sauce, stir in 1/2 cup (4 fI oz/125 ml) heavy (double) cream once the sauce has thickened and simmer for 5 minutes longer.

In a large frying pan over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons (2 oz/60 g) of the butter. Add the carrots, celery, and onion and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion has softened and the carrots and celery are tender, about 15 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper and cook unti) the sauce begins to bubble. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, unti) the sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot three-fourths full of water to a rolling boil and add about 2 tablespoons salt. Add the spaghetti, stir well, and cook, stirring occasionally, unti) al dente, according to the package directions. Scoop out and reserve about 2 ladlefuls of the cooking water, then drain the pasta.
Add the drained pasta to the sauce in the pan and stir and toss over low heat unti) well coated with the sauce, adjusting the consistency with some of the cooking water if needed. Add the basii and the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and toss to distribute evenly. Remove from the heat, add the 1/2 cup cheese, and toss again. Transfer to a warmed serving bowl and serve at once, passing additional cheese at the table.

Buon appetito!

 MAKES 4-6 SERVINGS

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 shallots, chopped fine
8 ounces pancetta, chopped coarsely
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 pound spaghetti
4 large egg yolks
1 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

Spaghetti alla Carbonara is a classic Roman pasta dish, that has become a standard on menus in Italian restaurants around the world. As with any dish that becomes this ubiquitous, many variations tend to crop up, with people adding different ingredients along the way. One addition that pops up frequently is cream. While I am not typically a staunch traditionalist, and our recipe even demonstrates this with ingredients that some may argue with, I do believe strongly, as all Romans would agree, that cream has no place in a real carbonara sauce.

The ingredients that most agree are contained in a traditional carbonara sauce are guanciale(cured pork jowel), eggs, Pecorino Romano cheese, and freshly ground black pepper. Since, guanciale is an ingredient that is not that easy to get your hands on, pancetta is often substituted. This recipe is how my father served carbonara in his restaurant for years, and it includes shallots, white wine and chicken broth. Those ingredients may not be considered traditional, but they really do work in this dish because they enhance the dish by subtly complementing rather than taking away from the main ingredients.

Heat olive oil and butter in a large sautè pan over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and pancetta and cook until the shallots are softened and translucent and the pancetta is lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the wine, bring to a boil and cook until reduced by half, 1-2 minutes. Add the chicken broth, bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat while you cook the pasta

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the spaghetti. Cook uncovered over high heat until al dente. Drain and add the pasta to the sautè pan and place it back over medium-high heat.
Add the egg yolks, Pecorino Romano cheese, and black pepper, and cook, stirring vigorously until pasta is well coated and creamy. Transfer to individual pasta dishes and serve with extra Pecorino Romano cheese on the side.

Buon appetito !