Creamy Spaghetti Primavera

5 to 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pound spaghetti
1 onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 carrots, cut into thin sticks
1 zucchini, cut into thin sticks
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 to 3/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Grated peel of 1 lemon
Flat-leaf parsley, chopped, or 3 to 4 tablespoons snipped chives

In a saucepan, simmer the broth over medium heat.

In a large, deep skillet, heat the olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, and the butter over medium-high heat. Stir in the garlic. Add the spaghetti and toast lightly, about 2 minutes. Add the onion, carrots, zucchini and thyme. Season with salt and pepper, and cook until the vegetables soften, stirring with tongs, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and cook until completely absorbed. Add a few ladlefuls of warm broth and stir the pasta. Keep adding broth a few ladlefuls at a time, letting the liquid absorb before adding more. Stir often, like you would prepare a risotto, until all the liquid is absorbed and the spaghetti is al dente, 12 to 15 minutes.

Stir the cream and cheese into the pasta, remove from the heat and stir for 1 minute longer, until the cheese is melted and creamy. Serve the pasta in shallow bowls, topped with the lemon peel and parsley.

Serves: 4

Pasta with Greens

6 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups chopped onions
7 to 8 cups packed chopped mixed greens
12 to 16 ounces dried short pasta (radiatore is recommended)
8 to 12 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until golden, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, begin heating the water for the pasta. Add the chopped greens to the Dutch oven and stir until the greens begin to wilt. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes.

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain, adding a few tablespoons of the cooking water to the greens. Reduce the heat under the greens to low. Add the cheese. Then add the pasta to the greens and mix thoroughly. Add the Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste.

Ziti Ubriachi - Drunken Ziti


1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 pound pancetta, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 cups Lambrusco wine
1/4 cup minced parsley
Grinding coarse black pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
1 pound cooked ziti
Fine sea salt to taste

Melt the butter over medium high heat in a large sauté pan; stir in the pancetta and cook until it softens. Stir in the garlic and continue cooking until the pancetta is crisp. Stir in the wine, lower the heat, and simmer the sauce until it is reduced by half. Stir in the parsley, pepper, cheese, and ziti. Add salt to taste. Stir to coat the ziti and serve immediately.

EGG NOODLE BAKE WITH GODLEN RAISINS


12 ounces Medium or Fine Egg Noodles, uncooked
16 ounces low-fat cottage cheese
1 cup low-fat sour cream
1 tablespoon margarine
1 medium onion, diced
2 egg whites
1 1/2 cups low-fat milk
1/2 cup raisins or sultanas
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Prepare pasta according to package directions; drain. Rinse under water and drain again.

2. Preheat oven to 350ºF. In a large bowl, combine the noodles with the cottage cheese and sour cream and set aside. Melt the margarine in a small skillet. Add onion and sauté over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Combine onion with noodles. Beat egg whites in a medium bowl for 30 seconds, beat in milk. Add mixture to noodles. Stir raisins into noodles.

3. Lightly grease a 1 1/2-quart baking dish with oil or cooking spray. Spoon noodle mixture into the dish. In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over noodles. Bake noodles until firm and browned on top, about 55 minutes. Serve hot from the oven or at room temperature.

Fettuccine Alfredo


12 oz dried egg fettuccine
1 stick [1/2 cup], plus 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus additional for sprinkling
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper


Cook fettuccine in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup cooking water, then drain pasta in a colander.

Melt 3/4 stick [6 tablespoons] butter in a 2- to 3-quart flameproof gratin dish over low heat. Add cooked pasta and toss to coat, lifting strands. Add cheese, reserved cooking water, cream, remaining 3 tablespoons butter [thinly sliced], salt, and pepper and toss to combine well.

Sprinkle with additional cheese and serve immediately.