Notes from a Franco-Italian Kitchen

by Marie-Christine PErry

Having to produce three meals a day, particularly in winter, can be tedious, as limited fresh vegetable offerings tax the imagination of the cook who is not thrilled by the cruciferous family. In my case, I am also limited by the likes and dislikes of my two family members, my partner Cheryl and Louis, my Chihuahua.

Pasta to the rescue!

Pasta has always been the go-to meal when time or creativity is lacking. I recently discovered Cipriani pasta, an Italian pasta made with traditional ingredients and 

shaped with bronze extruders, or dies, that produce a slightly rough surface for sauce to which sauce can cling. I promptly put in a large order, which arrived safely. This is the best commercial pasta I have ever found, and though the price is quite a bit higher than supermarket pasta, it is, in my opinion, well worth the trouble, unless one is comfortable making one’s own.

I lived in Italy for two years many moons ago, and in my first month there, at the home of a very good friend, ate pasta twice a day (pasta asciutta—dry pasta—for lunch and pasta in brodo—pasta in broth—for dinner) with hardly a repeat of cut of pasta, sauce or ingredients.  May I add that the family had a cook, who made fresh pasta daily.

In Italy, pasta was just the prelude of the meal, but when I make pasta at home, it is the solitary pièce de résistance, accompanied by simple greens in vinaigrette, and perhaps a chunk of cheese to round out the meal. A fancier version would start with lavish antipasto, including homemade red peppers and garlic in olive oil, pickled baby artichokes, bocconcini di buffala, prosciutto, anchovies, etc.

Two of my favorite pastas are lemon, ricotta and basil, which can be made with farfalle (bowtie) or fusilli, and pasta carbonara, served exclusively with spaghetti. They both are simple and quick to make.

For two generous dinner portions of pasta con ricotta, toss 8 ounces of farfalle or fusilli cooked al dente in a bowl in which you have combined these ingredients with about a quarter cup of the pasta cooking liquid: 1 cup ricotta cheese, one teaspoon grated lemon rind, one tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Grate fresh Parmigiano on top and serve.

For the same two generous portions of pasta carbonara, sauté four or five ounces of guanciale or pancetta cut into small cubes in a large frying pan until golden and slightly crispy. Add 8 ounces of spaghetti al dente into the pan without discarding the melted fat. Immediately swirl a small ladle of the pasta cooking water directly into the pan, then add two large beaten egg yolks in a stream, swirling until creamy. Cook for a couple more minutes, swirling constantly, until sauce is silky and creamy.  Serve immediately, topped with grated pecorino romano.

With pasta con ricotta, I would serve a light fruity wine, but pasta carbonara demands a robust red, both possibly Italian.
Buon appetito!