Mamacello Pasta Recipes

RACHAEL RAY'S MAMACELLO PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to boil.
• Add the pasta and salt the water.
• Cook the pasta until al dente, 6 to 7 minutes.
• Heat a large deep skillet over low heat and add the olive oil.
• When the olive oil is warm, add the garlic and red pepper flakes.
• Turn off the heat and set the garlic aside for 5 minutes, then raise the heat to medium, add the wine and lemon zest and boil to reduce the wine by half, about 3 minutes.
• When the pasta is just about cooked, add a ladle of starchy pasta cooking water to the skillet with the sauce and stir in the heavy cream.
• When the cream is warmed through, whisk the lemon juice into the sauce and season with salt.
• Drain the pasta and toss with the sauce, then let the pasta stand for 1 minute so it can soak up a little of the sauce.
• Toss with the parsley, basil and cheese.
• Serve immediately.

BASIC GARLIC AND OIL SAUCE FOR PERFECT PASTA (RACHAEL RAY)

Steps:

• Bring a pot of water to rolling boil, then add spaghetti.
• While that is working, heat anchovies with oil in a large skillet over MEDIUM heat. The anchovies will "melt" in the oil, use the tip of your spoon to break into small pieces.
• Lower heat and add garlic pieces and pepper seasonings; let garlic cook in anchovy oil, stirring frequently . . . watch carefully to avoid garlic over-cooking!
• When pasta is almost "al dente," dip out one cup of the water, and pour into the pan with the anchovy-garlic; stir in, then add parsley; set aside.
• Drain water from pasta; dump into warmed bowl, pour sauce over pasta, toss for ONE MINUTE.
• Serve immediately.
• ALTERNATIVE ADD-INS:
• Finely chopped broccoli instead of parsley.
• Bacon crumbles -- mmm!
• Use orecchiette pasta (bowl/shell shapes), then add 8 oz. sausage with the garlic, 2°C broccoli rabe; cook until sausage is no longer pink.
• Use fusilli (curly pasta) instead of spaghetti. Then: How about 2 teaspoons thyme & oregano with the parsley; once the garlic is cooked, add 2 thinly sliced jarred roasted red peppers. Pretty!
• Seafoody Linguine: Once the garlic is cooking: add 3 doz littleneck clams, cover skillet, steam until clams open (about 5 minutes) -- or if you live far from a fresh seafood market (like me!), use 3 or 4 cans of clam meat, skip the steaming part and go right to the table!

EASY PASTA BAKE WITH MOSTACCIOLI AND MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add mostaccioli and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain.
• Transfer mostaccioli to a large glass baking dish. The pasta should reach about halfway to the rim of the dish. Cover with as much spaghetti sauce as you like, at least enough to almost cover the pasta.
• Place meatballs in a microwave-save dish and heat in the microwave for about 3 minutes. Spread out on top of the pasta. Cover entirely with mozzarella cheese.
• Bake in the preheated oven until heated through and cheese is completely melted, 15 to 20 minutes.

RIGATONI ALLA CARBONARA (BACON AND EGG COAL MINER'S PASTA)

Steps:

• Place a large pot of water on the stove to boil. When water is rolling, add salt and pasta and cook to al dente, about 8 minutes, reserving 1/4 cup pasta water.
• While pasta cooks, heat large skillet over moderate heat. Saute pancetta in a drizzle of oil until it browns, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Add extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, and crushed pepper flake. Saute garlic 2 minutes.
• Add wine or stock to the pan and reduce liquid by half, 2 minutes.
• Beat together egg yolks, cheese, and while whisking vigorously, stir in a ladle of the boiling pasta water.
• Beat in parsley and pepper and set aside.
• Drain pasta.
• Add pasta to pan with sauce.
• Toss pasta with pancetta, then add egg mixture and toss 1 minute, then remove from heat. Continue to toss until sauce is absorbed by and thickly coating the pasta.
• Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper and serve with extra cheese, for passing.