For Classic Carbonara do as the Romans do, pick up some guanciale and Pecorino Romano cheese. If you can’t find them, just substitute bacon and Parmigiano Reggiano. In regard to pasta, the classic shape is tonnarelli, a long pasta, but spaghetti, mezze maniche, and rigatoni also work well. And don’t forget the eggs and freshly ground black pepper.

Serves 4

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INGREDIENTS
12 oz. tonnarelli, spaghetti, mezze maniche or rigatoni
4 oz. guanciale or rindless bacon
¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano (or Parmigiano Reggiano)
4 fresh large egg yolks
salt
black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS
Cut the guanciale into ¼″ layers, then into long, 2″ strips.

Combine the egg yolks with the grated cheese and a pinch of black pepper.

Brown the strips of guanciale for 2 minutes in a pan, until crisp, then turn off the heat and leave to cool.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt. Cook the pasta, setting aside a ladleful of the pasta cooking water, until al dente. Drain.

Pour the reserved hot water into the frying pan with the cooled guanciale, then transfer the pasta to the same pan and mix together. Add the yolk and cheese mixture, stirring rapidly.

In the warm pan with the hot pasta, the eggs will cook gently and become creamy – don’t stir over heat otherwise the carbonara will become lumpy. It’s important to stir quickly to prevent the yolks from congealing and taking on the texture of scrambled eggs.

Season with freshly milled black pepper and serve immediately on heated plates.

A variation, yet basically the same technique…

Fragrant Spaghetti is a medley of Mediterranean herbs and lemon infuse spaghetti with bright flavors and aromas.

Serves 4-6

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INGREDIENTS
1 LB. thick spaghetti
4 OZ. homestyle bread (any crusty bread)
1/2 CUP Grana Padano cheese, grated
2 OZ. mixed herbs (thyme, wild fennel, rosemary, mint, parsley, marjoram)
lemon
bay leaves
extra-virgin olive oil
salt

INSTRUCTIONS
For the breadcrumbs: Chop the mixed herbs together. Heat the bread in a pan with a drizzle of oil and squeeze a bit of lemon juice on top. Remove the bread from the pan, season with about 1 oz. chopped herbs and 2 Tbsp. oil and blend everything together.

Bring a pot of water to a boil with a large pinch of salt, 2 bay leaves, and a pinch of chopped herbs. Cook the pasta in the fragrant water until al dente.

In the meantime, for the flavored oil: add the remaining chopped herbs and a squeeze of lemon juice to 1/2 cup oil.

Strain the pasta, reserving a bit of the pasta cooking water, and transfer back to the pot. Toss with the flavored oil, bread crumbs with herbs, Grana Padano cheese, and a bit of the cooking water. Cook for 30 seconds and serve.

Pasta with Squash Sausage and Lettuce Cream: Sweet squash, hearty sausage and fresh mint make for the perfect winter pasta dish.

Serves 4

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INGREDIENTS
5 large lettuce leaves
9 OZ. ricotta
1 onion
14 OZ. fresh sausage
extra-virgin olive oil
dry white wine
10 OZ. butternut squash
2 CUPS small pasta
mint

INSTRUCTIONS
Clean and boil the lettuce leaves, drain, squeeze and purée with the ricotta and a pinch of salt to obtain a smooth cream.

For the pasta: Chop the onion. Remove the sausage from the casing and cut into 1/2″ pieces. Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large pan over medium heat, add the onion and brown for 5 minutes. Then add the sausage; cook it by crushing and crumbling it for a couple of minutes. Add a splash of wine and cook for another 8-10 minutes. 

Dice the squash in 1/4″ cubes. Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in another pan and cook the squash for around 5 minutes.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt. Add the pasta, cook to al dente, drain it reserving 1 cup pasta cooking water. Spoon the pasta directly into the pan with the sausage; add the squash and stir, adding, if needed, a little cooking water. Top with the cream and mint leaves to taste.

A tasty vegetarian alternative to a traditionally meat filled pasta. Eggplant and Ricotta Cannelloni are especially delicious in summer time when eggplant and tomatoes are in peak season.

Serves 6

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INGREDIENTS
18 dried ready to cook cannelloni
2 CUPS ready made béchamel
7 OZ. tomato sauce
7 OZ. ricotta cheese
5 OZ. eggplant
4 TBSP. Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
2 TBSP. unsalted butter
2 TBSP. breadcrumbs
2 large eggs
basil
olive oil
nutmeg
salt
pepper

INSTRUCTIONS
Peel the eggplant and cut into tiny cubes. Sauté in a frying pan with 2 Tbsp. olive oil. Season with salt, pepper and hand-shredded basil and stir in the ricotta. Add the eggs, stirring constantly, then top with the Parmigiano Reggiano and the breadcrumbs.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Fill the cannelloni with the eggplant ricotta mixture.

Grease a baking dish, then add a layer béchamel (dilute with a little milk if too thick) and season with a little grated nutmeg. Arrange the cannelloni on top and pour the remaining béchamel and the tomato sauce over the top. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes at 350°F, removing the foil half way through baking. Serve warm.

Extra Tip: For optimal cooking conditions, the dried pasta needs plenty liquid and a thinner than normal bechamel sauce.

Burnt, crispy, and spicy are the three essentials spaghetti all’assassina, or “killer’s spaghetti,” a must-eat in Bari, a city in Puglia on the Adriatic Sea. The name assassina, which means killer, refers not to the felony, but rather the risottatura cooking technique that cooks pasta like risotto. Instead of boiling the spaghetti, it’s cooked directly in the pan by consistently adding water to it each time the pasta absorbs it.

Serves 4

lacucinaitaliana.com

INGREDIENTS
12 oz. vermicelli or spaghetti
2 cups tomato purée
tomato paste
oil
garlic
sugar
chili pepper

INSTRUCTIONS
Prepare a broth made with water, 1½ cups purée, and plenty of tomato paste and salt, and bring to a boil. According to the academy, the sauce “must be bright red and tasty, but still a broth.”

In the iron frying pan, add ½ cup oil, 3 garlic cloves (core removed), and chili pepper to taste. Dell’Erba suggests keeping 2 whole and chopping 1. Cook the garlic over a high flame until golden then pour in around ½ cup tomato purée. To temper the acidity from the tomatoes, you can add 1 tsp. sugar.

Spread the purée over the whole pan with a wooden spoon and let it reduce slightly. At this point put the uncooked spaghetti in the pan, distributing them in such a way that the pasta collects the sauce.

“Now the chef starts to take a step back,” explains Dell’Erba. “You don’t have to be in a hurry to turn everything, you have to wait for some of the spaghetti to start the shining process, not burning, but caramelizing”.

Stir spaghetti as it starts to stick to the bottom of the pan a little, swapping the top layer of noodles for those already glossy from having been stuck to the bottom.

At this point add 2 medium-sized ladles of the tomato “broth.” The liquid will sizzle and start to simmer. Let it reduce without turning the spaghetti and “listen” for the boiling point. When you hear it “sizzle” again (the noise changes sharply), keep your distance and wait for the “burning” process to continue (this will take 30 seconds to 1 one minute).

Repeat, stirring to remove the burnt spaghetti from the bottom of the pan while adding more tomato liquid. Each addition must correspond to the time needed for it to sizzle and then repeat by soaking the pasta with the sauce. The stiff spaghetti will start to bend, and the whole process takes about 8-9 minutes. – the assassina “must suffer.”

The result is a hard spaghetti with a different consistency than boiled spaghetti, but only the burnt ones “crunch.” You need to taste it to decide the level of cooking and burning, and serve it when you think it’s ready – bring the pan directly to the table.

Linguine alla Yellow Pepper and Zucchini Carbonara is a vegetarian ‘carbonara’ recipe; yellow pepper cream substitutes eggs for a dense flavorsome sauce. Topped with zucchini, Grana Padano and ground pepper, this recipe will have you coming back for more.

Serves 4

lacucinaitaliana.com

INGREDIENTS
1 LB. yellow peppers
1 LB. zucchini
12 OZ. linguine
1 large spring onion
1 garlic clove
Grana Padano, grated
extra-virgin olive oil
salt
pepper

INSTRUCTIONS
Clean peppers and cut into thin strips. Peel zucchini and cut into small pieces.

Chop spring onion and brown with 3-4 Tbsp. oil and a garlic clove with skin on. After 3-4 minutes, remove garlic and add peppers. Season with salt and cover with water, then cook for 35-40 minutes. Drain peppers and purée.

Cook linguine in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente.

Meanwhile, sauté zucchini with a pinch of salt for 2 minutes.

Drain linguine and dress with pepper cream. Top with the zucchini, Grana Padano and ground pepper. Serve immediately.

Lasagne alla Bolognese: The original version of lasagna from medieval times consisted of large rectangular layers of fresh pasta separated by a simple mixture of cheese and spices. During the Renaissance, fish and shrimp were added-a delicious spin that is still common in the Veneto. Today, variations abound. In Bologna, spinach flavors and tints the noodles, which are layered with ragu alla bolognese and bechamel.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS
1 carrot
1 small onion
1 celery rib
2 oz pancetta or bacon
3 1/2 tbl unsalted butter
1/3 ground beef
1/3 ground pork
1/4 pound prosciutto crudo
1 tbl double concentrate tomato paste
full-bodied red wine
beef broth
salt
black peppercorns
nutmeg
1 1/2 cups plus 1/2 cup flour
1 egg
1 small bunch spinach
extra-virgin olive oil
4 tbl plus 1 1/2 tbl butter
2 1/2 cups milk
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

INSTRUCTIONS
Ragu:
In a large saucepan, combine 1 minced small carrot, 1/2 minced small onion, 1/2 minced celery rib, 2 ounces chopped pancetta and 3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter. Heat over medium heat.

Stirring, lightly brown vegetables until golden in color.

Add 1/3 pound ground beef, 1/3 pound ground pork and 1/4 pound chopped prosciutto. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes more.

Stir in 1 tablespoon tomato paste.

Add 2/3 cup broth and 1/3 cup red wine; bring to a bare simmer, partially cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Spinach Pasta:
Boil and finely mince 1 small bunch spinach. Mound 1 1/2 cups flour in the center of a large wooden cutting board. Make a well in the middle of the flour and add 1 egg, 1 tablespoon oil and a pinch salt. Add spinach.

Using a fork, lightly beat together spinach and egg. Gradually incorporate flour, starting with the inner rim of the well.

When dough becomes too stiff to work with a fork, knead with hands until dough is no longer sticky (if dough is sticky, add more flour in tablespoon increments).

Knead dough until elastic, a few minutes more, dusting board with flour as needed. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Flatten dough so that it will fit through the rollers of a hand-cranked pasta machine. Set rollers to widest setting and pass dough through rollers, folding and turning pasta with each pass, 3 or 4 times. Cut into 2 pieces and, gradually decreasing pasta machine settings, roll pasta through machine (do not turn or fold) until it is about l millimeter thick and the width of the pasta machine.

Cut dough into large rectangles, the width of the pasta roller, and about 7 inches long.

Bechamel:
In a medium saucepan, heat 4 tablespoons butter and 1/2 cup flour over medium heat, stirring, until mixture is nicely colored.

In a slow and steady stream, add 2 1/2 cups milk, whisking continuously.

Simmer, stirring, until bechamel thickens, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Remove from the heat and add 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons butter; stir to combine. If the bechamel is not to be used immediately, cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

Lasagna:
Heat oven to 400°. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to boil. Add lasagna sheets and cook until they float to the top of the surface, about 15 seconds.

Drain, and immediately plunge into a bowl of ice water. Drain again, and dry between two clean kitchen towels.

Cover an 11″ x 7″ x 2″ rectangular baking dish (or similar size oval gratin dish; slightly smaller is fine) with an initial layer of lasagna, letting the pasta hong over the sides of the dish if necessary.

Cover with a layer of ragu, bechamel and grated Parmigiano-Reggiono cheese. Cover with another layer of pasta, fitting snug inside the dish, and continue, making a total of 4 layers with enough bechamel, ragu and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese leftover for the top.

To finish, fold any overflowing pasta over the dish. Top with remaining bechamel, ragu and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

The Yolan restaurant is geared towards celebrating refined versions of classic Italian dishes, and among the menu highlights is this Pappardelle with White Bolognese.

Maybe use all ground beef or a mix of ground pork and beef.

Serves 4-6

lacucinaitaliana.com

INGREDIENTS
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 lb. ground veal
½ lb. ground pork
¼ lb. cured meat scraps, such as prosciutto, salami, or soppresata, chopped
3 Calabrian chilis (rinsed and dried off if in oil), coarsely chopped
½ sweet onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled and finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ cups dry Italian white wine
1 ½ cups veal or chicken stock (preferably low sodium)
1 cup whole milk
¼ lb. Parmigiano Reggiano cheese rinds
3 fresh thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon peppercorns
1 lb. pappardelle pasta
2 tablespoons butter, preferably unsalted
¾ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

INSTRUCTIONS
Heat a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the extra virgin olive oil. After 1 minute, add all the meat and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, breaking up the meat.

Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook for 3 minutes. Add the Calabrian chilis.

Continue to cook and brown well, for about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the white wine and deglaze the pan, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the stock, and the milk. When it comes to a simmer, lower the heat to medium. Add the Parmigiano-Reggiano rinds and stir to combine.

Meanwhile, with some cheese cloth, make a sachet with the thyme sprigs, bay leaf and peppercorns. Add it to the sauce.

Continue to cook the sauce, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the sauce is reduced by a quarter. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta to the water, stir, and cook until al dente, about 3 minutes less than what the box advises. Retain ½ cup of the cooking water and set aside. Drain the pasta.

Add the pasta to the sauce, then add the butter, and the pasta water. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring gently to combine.

Transfer the pasta to a large, warm platter. Top with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

Serve immediately.

With Spaghetti Frittata, what started as a practical way to repurpose leftovers has become a new and delicious way to enjoy spaghetti or other day-old pasta.

Bake at 400 for 25 minutes – 15 minutes doesn’t cut it. Pour pasta/egg mixture in 10″ pan. No need to flip it out. Maybe add caramelized onions plus fresh herbs to add more flavor.

Splendid Table also has a version.

Serves 6

lacucinaitaliana.com

INGREDIENTS
1⁄2 lb. spaghetti
3⁄4 cup light cream
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter or less – for greasing pan
3⁄4 oz. Grana Padano
8 eggs
extra-virgin olive oil
salt – pepper

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Place the Grana Padano, cream, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl, then beat in the eggs.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.

Cook spaghetti until al dente, then transfer directly into a bowl of iced water.

Strain the spaghetti and combine with the egg mixture.

Grease a 9 1/2” round baking pan with butter and place the spaghetti inside.

Top with a little Grana Padano, place in the oven and bake for 15 (meaning 25) minutes.

Remove the frittata from the oven and turn it upside down onto a serving dish – not necessary.

= = =

Splendid Table

Born to make wise use of leftover pasta, frittata di spaghetti is an underrated, versatile, and fun recipe to add to your repertoire. You can serve it as part of a buffet; cut into generous slices, or cube it for an unusual starter. It makes a great packed lunch for day trips, picnics, and beach outings too.

The frittata is usually made with spaghetti, vermicelli, or bucatini, but short pasta such as penne or rigatoni will also work. Eggs are the ingredient that binds everything together: as a general rule, allow one egg per person, and maybe one more for the pan. As the recipe was created to use leftovers, consider it a blank canvas and use it to upcycle any leftover cheese that has been sitting at the back of your fridge for too long: grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or pecorino or cubed or sliced mozzarella, scamorza, or provola. You can also add salami, pancetta, or mortadella.

8 ounces/225 g spaghetti
1 cup/260 g Garlicky Tomato Sauce
4 large/200 g eggs
Fine sea salt
10½ ounces/300 g whole-milk mozzarella, torn into bite-size pieces
¾ cup/75 g grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated on the small holes of a box grater
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and salt it generously. Add the spaghetti and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Add the tomato sauce and toss to coat. Let cool completely. 

In a small bowl, beat the eggs with a pinch of salt.

When the spaghetti has cooled, add the beaten eggs, mozzarella, and Parmigiano-Reggiano and stir until thoroughly combined. 

Heat an 8-inch/20 cm nonstick frying pan over medium heat until hot, then add a drizzle of olive oil and the garlic. Cook, stirring, until the garlic is golden; remove and discard the garlic. 

Add the spaghetti to the pan, pressing it into an even layer with a spatula. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until a golden crust has developed on the bottom. Invert a large plate over the pan and, in one quick motion, flip the frittata onto the plate. Return the pan to the stove and add a drizzle of olive oil, then slide the frittata back into the pan and cook on the second side until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Serve hot. 

Note: If you want to add salami or another meat or cheese, dice it or cut into thin strips and add to the dressed spaghetti along with the beaten eggs, then proceed as instructed in the recipe.

Known as fùgassa co formaggio to the Ligurians, focaccia di Recco tastes like bliss. This is a combo of 2 recipes. La Cucina does not include prosciutto.

Serves 4

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INGREDIENTS
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil water
8oz – 1 pound taleggio, cubed
1/3 pound Prosciutto Cotto, thinly sliced

INSTRUCTIONS
Make the dough: Place the flour and salt in a food processor. With the motor running, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and 5oz water to create a soft dough. Process 45 seconds. Turn out onto a lightly oiled bowl, shape into a ball, cover, and let rest 40 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 520-550. Oil a 14-inch baking sheet with low sides (or cover a round baking sheet with baking parchment). Roll out half of the dough into a circle about 16 inches in diameter. Line the pan with it, then top with the cheese and prosciutto. Roll the second piece of dough and top the focaccia with it. Trim excess dough, tear four small holes in the top to allow excess air to escape, and brush with olive oil. Bake until lightly golden but not crisp (around 12 minutes). Serve hot or warm in wedges.