Mangia Bene Pasta
Christmas Eve Pasta with Seafood Recipes
Fettuccine with Lobster Cream Sauce
(Serves 2)
This is a wonderfully rich dish so the serving size is small. You will only need one lobster tail for 2 servings.
The lobster shell is used to infuse the cream sauce with more of the lobster's flavor. It may seem like an
unusual technique but the resulting sauce is comparable to the velvety texture of a lobster bisque.
1 (10-12 ounce) lobster tail
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste
1 plum tomato, chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 large garlic clove, sliced
2 fresh thyme springs
2 fresh parsley springs
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
5-6 ounces fettuccine
Salt and pepper
Chopped parsley for garnish
Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil.
Add the lobster tail and simmer 7-10 minutes until slightly undercooked.
Remove the tail from water and set aside until cool enough to handle.
Remove the meat, cut it into bite size pieces, cover, and refrigerate.
With kitchen scissors, cut the remaining shell into 10-12 pieces.
Heat the oil in a wide saucepan over high heat.
Add the reserved lobster shells and saute for 3 minutes.
Reduce the heat to low. Add the tomato paste and stir for 1 minute.
Add the tomato, wine, vinegar, garlic, thyme, and parsley.
Add the cream, bring to a boil, and boil for 2 minutes.
Reduce heat to a simmer and cook 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Strain into a bowl, pressing on the solids to extract as much sauce as possible.
Discard contents of strainer.
Transfer sauce to a saucepan. Gently rewarm over low heat.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta for 2 minutes less than the recommended time.
Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce along with the reserved lobster meat.
Cook 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Divide pasta between 2 serving plates. Garnish with chopped parsley.
Serve with Parmesan cheese, if desired
Shrimp in Garlic, Lemon, and Butter Sauce
"Shrimp Scampi"
(Serves 4 to 6)
1 pound linguine, cooked
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 tablespoons butter, divided
5 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1 to 1-1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons each of butter and olive oil over medium-high heat.
Saute the garlic and red pepper flakes about 2 minutes.
Season the shrimp with salt and pepper and add them to the skillet.
Saute the shrimp until they turn pink, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a plate.
Add the wine, broth, and lemon juice to the skillet and bring to a boil.
Simmer the liquid for 2-3 minutes, just to reduce a little.
Add the remaining olive oil and butter to the broth.
When the butter is melted, return the shrimp to the skillet.
Cook just enough to reheat the shrimp.
Stir in the lemon zest and parsley and season with salt and pepper.
Serve over linguine.
Lasagna della Vigilia
Christmas Eve Lasagna from the Piedmont (serves 6)
This dish isn't at all like the many-layered lasagna that most of us are familiar with.
The lasagna noodles should be about 6" long. If you are using dried noodles, break them in half.
Just be sure to mash the anchovies to a paste and be generous with the pepper.
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 ounces anchovy fillets in olive oil, drained and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound lasagna noodles, broken in half
1 cup Parmesan cheese
Freshly grated ground pepper, to taste
In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-low heat.
Add the anchovies and garlic. Cook about 5 minutes.
Use a wooden spoon to mash the anchovies as thoroughly as you can.
Cook the lasagna noodles in boiling salted water and drain.
Toss the pasta in a bowl with 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese
Transfer the pasta to the anchovy sauce, grind pepper on top and toss well.
Serve, passing remaining cheese to sprinkle on top.
Pasta with Sardines (serves 4)
2 cups leaf tops from fennel
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped onion
4 anchovy fillets, chopped
1/3 cup pignoli nuts
1 tablespoon currants
1-1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, dissolved in 1 cup water
Salt and pepper
3 (3-3/4 ounce) cans sardines in olive oil, drained
1 pound bucatini or perciatelli pasta, cooked and drained (substitute linguine if unavailable)
1/2 cup bread crumbs, lightly toasted
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Add the fennel leaves and cook 10 minutes.
Turn off the heat and remove the greens but do not discard the water.
Squeeze the water out of the greens and chop. Set aside.
In another saucepan, put the olive oil, onion, and anchovies.
Cook over medium heat about 5 minutes.
Add the fennel and cook 5 more minutes.
Add the nuts, currants, tomato paste, and the saffron water.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Cook until the water has completely evaporated.
Add the sardines, stir them in, and remove from the heat.
Place the cooked pasta in a bowl and add the sauce and bread crumbs.
Toss thoroughly and serve.