Late Night Pasta Recipes

LATE-NIGHT PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add pasta and cook for 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Add onion and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; cook, stirring until onion softens, 2 to 3 minutes.
• While onion is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon butter in a small skillet. Carefully crack eggs into skillet and cook until whites are just set. Remove from heat and keep warm.
• Add garlic to skillet with bacon and onion and stir to combine. Add 1/4 cup pasta cooking liquid to skillet; drain pasta and add to skillet. Add remaining 3 tablespoons butter and reduce heat to low. Add cheese and toss until melted and sauce is well combined.
• Divide pasta evenly between two serving bowls; top with fried egg and season with pepper. Serve immediately.

MIDNIGHT PASTA WITH GARLIC, ANCHOVY, CAPERS AND RED PEPPER

Steps:

• Put the spaghetti in a large pot of well-salted rapidly boiling water and cook only until firmly al dente. (Depending on the brand of pasta, this will be 8 to 10 minutes, but check frequently to see. )
• While the pasta is cooking, warm the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute, without letting it brown. Stir in the anchovies, capers and red pepper and cook for a half-minute more, then turn off the heat.
• Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Pour in the garlic mixture, add the parsley, if using, and toss well to coat. Serve with grated Parmesan if desired.

MIDNIGHT PASTA WITH ROASTED GARLIC, OLIVE OIL AND CHILE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut off the top 1/4 inch of the head of garlic to expose the top of the cloves, then place on a piece of foil, cut-side up. Sprinkle exposed cloves with salt, then drizzle with 1 teaspoon oil. Wrap the garlic in the foil and roast until soft and golden brown, 40 to 50 minutes.
• When you're ready to make the pasta, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Finely chop the parsley leaves. Add pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta.
• While the pasta cooks, in a large Dutch oven or skillet, heat the remaining 1/2 cup oil over medium heat. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves into the oil and cook, breaking them up with your spoon, until very fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the red-pepper flakes and a few generous grinds of pepper. Remove the pan from the heat to infuse the oil while the pasta finishes cooking.
• When the pasta's done, heat the garlic oil over medium, then add the cooked pasta, 1/2 cup reserved pasta water and the parsley, and simmer, tossing constantly and adding more pasta water as needed, until the pasta is glossed with sauce.
• Serve with more red-pepper flakes, black pepper and Parmesan.

EMERIL'S LATE NIGHT PASTA

Steps:

• 1. Bring a large heavy pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook, stirring to separate the strands until the pasta is al dente - 7 to 8 minutes for dry pasta. Drain in a colander - reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water. Return the pasta to the pot.
• 2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp. Add the garlic, shallots, pepper and salt and cook, stirring until fragrant and the garlic is soft but not brown - about 1 1/2 minutes.
• 3. Remove the pan from the heat and add the egg and reserved pasta cooking water - stirring quickly until the mixture thickens, but the egg does not scramble. Pour over spaghetti in pot and toss until evenly coated.
• 4. Divide the spaghetti among plates or large shallow bowls, sprinkle cheese to taste over the top of each serving and serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.