Fusilli, Ham and Cheddar Cheese

Sometimes a kids dish can be transported into a great dish for more sophisticated palates. Think of it a meeting of the minds or compromise with the rug rats that will satisfy everyone. Pick any pasta - even plain old macaroni noodles. I like Fusilli Bucati - 'bucati' means the noodle is hollow. For cheese - go crazy and use white cheddar, or any other variation. I am biased towards lots of flavor - so the sharper the better. For the mushrooms, the regular white variety works but so does shiitake, etc.


Fusilli, Ham and Cheddar Cheese

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:
8-16 ounces fusilli bucati (or other pasta)
1 8-ounce package of sharp cheddar (shredded)
8 ounce diced ham
8 ounce mushrooms (sliced)
1 10 3/4 ounce can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup milk

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to directions.
2. Stir it all together.
3. Pour into lightly greased baking dish (2.5-3 quart).
4. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.

Tuna Puttanesca with Fusilli

Pasta alla Puttanesca means something like "Pasta the way a whore would make it" and pays respects to the whores of Naples. There are many legends of how this came to be. One is that the name refers to the sauce's "hot, spicy flavor and pungent smell". Alternatively the dish was offered to prospects at a low price to entice them. However, the simplest answer is often the best one - that its name came from the fact that it was a quick, cheap meal to nourish the prostitutes' soul between customers.

For the diced tomatoes I like it best when I can find Muir Glen Fire roasted diced tomatoes but others will suffice.

Tuna Puttanesca with Fusilli

Adapted from a cooking class which adapted from Cooks Illustrated April 2002

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

3-6 cloves of garlic (minced) (to taste)

0 to 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (to taste)

28 oz can diced tomatoes (drained with liquid reserved)

2 cans tuna in olive oil (flaked)

2 tablespoons capers (rinsed)

1/2 cup kalamata olives (sliced or chopped)

Minced Fresh Italian Parsley leaves or dried

Parmesan cheese (Parmigiano-Reggiano if available) 

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat; add garlic, red pepper flakes until garlic is golden (not brown)
2. Add tomatoes, capers, olives, flaked tuna and stim. Simmer until thickened.
3. Add more  reserved liquid as needed and salt to taste. 
4. Toss with pasta. Garnish with parsley and parmesan. 

Italian Ditalini and Bean Soup

It's cold now that January has arrived and not much beats a hearty soup for dinner - especially if it is quick yet tasty.

Italian Ditalini and Bean Soup

Adapted from Cook's Country

Serves 6 if primary course

Ingredients:
3 cans (15.5 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 pound Italian sausage (2-3 links), remove casings (hot or mild)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium onions (chopped)
4 garlic cloves (minced)
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary (chopped) (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
1 can (14.5oz) diced tomatoes
Salt (1 teaspoon or to taste)
Pepper (1/2 teaspoon or to taste)
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1-1.5 cups ditalini (or other small pasta)
1/2 cup fresh basil (chopped) (or 2 tablespoons dried)
1 cut grated Parmesan

Directions:

1. Puree half of beans with 2 cups chicken broth in blender
2. Cook sausage over medium-high heat, breaking up into pieces, about 5 minutes until no longer pink. Drain onto paper towel to absorb oil.
3. Heat oil to medium-high and cook onions for about 10 minutes until soft.
4. Add garlic, rosemary to onions for 30 seconds.
5. Add tomatoes, remaining cannellini beans and chicken broth, bean puree mixture, sausage, salt and pepper.
6. Bring to boil then simmer on low for about 15 minutes.
7. Simultaneously with step 6 bring water with 1 tablespoon of salt to boil in another pot. Cook pasta according to directions. When done, drain BUT don't add pasta to soup.
8. Serve soup into bowls mixing in a serving of pasta to each bowl, top with basil, and Parmesan. You may drizzle with more olive oil for a traditional Italian style serving. I also dash with crushed red pepper flakes when using mild sausage since the kids don't always like spicy food.

Note: You can add the pasta to the pot of soup if you plan to eat it all at one sitting - but keeping them separate allows for leftovers where the pasta isn't mushy. If you make the soup ahead you definitely want to keep the pasta separate and combine when serving.