Ottolenghi Simple
Page 12
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the spaghetti. Cook until al dente, then strain, reserving some cooking water. Add the spaghetti to the sauce and mix well, adding two-thirds of the pecorino and basil, and a few tbsp of the cooking water if the sauce has become too thick.
Divide the spaghetti among four shallow bowls, then top with the remaining pecorino, basil, and 1 tbsp of oil, and serve.
Fettuccine with spiced cherry tomato sauce
Buy a big batch of cherry tomatoes when they are ripe and sweet, and double or triple the quantity of sauce. It takes a while to cook—just over an hour—but it keeps in the fridge for 5 days and freezes for up to 1 month. The ancho chile adds a lovely smoky richness, but can be replaced by ¼ tsp sweet smoked paprika, if you have this on hand rather than ancho. Alternatively, if you don’t want the kick, leave the chile out altogether.
Serves four
5 tbsp/75ml olive oil
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 lb 2 oz/1kg cherry tomatoes, halved
½ tsp sugar (or a bit more or less, depending on the sweetness of the tomatoes)
1 dried ancho chile, torn apart
salt
¾ cup plus 2 tbsp/200ml water
1 cup/20g basil leaves
14 oz/400g fettuccine (or spaghetti)
1¼ oz/35g Parmesan, finely grated
Put the oil into a large sauté pan and place over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the garlic and fry for up to 1 minute, stirring a few times, until starting to caramelize. Add the tomatoes—carefully, so that the oil doesn’t spit—along with the sugar, chile, and ½ tsp of salt. Pour in the water and stir for 4 minutes, until the tomatoes are starting to break down and the liquid is bubbling. Decrease the heat to medium-low and cook for about 1 hour, stirring every once in a while, until the tomatoes and ancho have broken down and the sauce has thickened. Stir in the basil and set aside somewhere warm.
Fill a large pot with plenty of salted water and place over high heat. Bring to a boil, then add the pasta. Cook for 10–12 minutes, or according to the package instructions, until al dente. Drain the pasta and stir it into the sauce. Divide among 4 bowls, sprinkle with Parmesan, and serve.
Pappardelle with rose harissa, black olives, and capers
Pictured with Gigli with chickpeas and za’atar (this page)
Pappare means “to gobble up,” in Italian, which is the destiny of this dish (particularly in Tara’s house, where her husband, Chris, makes it most Sunday nights). I like it spicy, but the quantity of harissa can easily be reduced. Make the sauce 3 days ahead if you like and keep in the fridge until needed.
Serves four
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced (mounded 2 cups/220g)
3 tbsp rose harissa (or 50 percent more or less, depending on variety; see this page)
14 oz/400g cherry tomatoes, halved
½ cup/55g pitted kalamata olives, torn in half
2 tbsp baby capers
salt
¾ cup plus 2 tbsp/200ml water
¾ cup/15g parsley, roughly chopped
1 lb 2 oz/500g dried pappardelle pasta (or other wide flat pasta)
½ cup/120g Greek-style yogurt
Put the oil into a large sauté pan with a lid and place over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onion and fry for 8 minutes, stirring every once in a while, until soft and caramelized. Add the harissa, tomatoes, olives, capers, and ½ tsp salt and continue to fry for 3–4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the tomatoes start to break down. Add the water and stir to mix thoroughly. Once boiling, decrease the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the lid and continue to cook for 4–5 minutes, until the sauce is thick and rich. Stir in ½ cup/10g of the parsley and set aside.
Meanwhile, fill a large pot with plenty of salted water and place over high heat. Once boiling, add the pappardelle and cook according to the package instructions, until al dente. Drain well.
Return the pasta to the pot along with the harissa sauce and ⅛ tsp of salt. Mix together well, then divide among 4 shallow bowls. Serve hot, with a spoonful of yogurt and a final sprinkle of parsley.
Gigli with chickpeas and za’atar
Gigli means “lilies” in Italian, and their floral wavy edges are a great vehicle for the chickpeas and anchovies in the sauce. Orecchiette (ears) or conchiglie (shells) are also good for scooping and work really well here too.
Serves four
3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to serve
½ onion, finely chopped (¾ cup/100g)
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsp ground cumin
½ cup/10g thyme leaves, finely chopped
about 7 anchovy fillets in oil, drained and finely chopped (scant 1 oz/25g)
1 lemon: finely shave the peel of ½, then juice to get 2 tbsp
salt and black pepper
2 (15.5 oz/440g) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed (3½ cups/480g)
1 tsp brown sugar
1⅔ cups/400ml chicken stock
7 oz/200g gigli pasta (or conchiglie or orecchiette)
1¾ oz/50g baby spinach leaves
¾ cup/15g parsley, roughly chopped
1½ tsp za’atar
Put the olive oil into a large sauté pan and place over high heat. Add the onion, garlic, cumin, thyme, anchovies, lemon peel, ½ tsp of salt, and a good grind of pepper. Fry for 3–4 minutes, stirring often, until soft and golden. Decrease the heat to medium-high, then add the chickpeas and sugar and fry for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chickpeas begin to brown and crisp up. Add the chicken stock and lemon juice and simmer for 6 minutes, until the sauce has reduced slightly. Remove from the heat and set aside. You can make this in advance, if you like, and warm through before serving.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for 8 minutes, or according to the package instructions, until al dente. Drain and set aside.
Stir the spinach and parsley into the chickpeas; the residual heat of the sauce should cook the spinach, but if it doesn’t wilt, just warm the chickpeas gently on the stove. Transfer the pasta to the pan of chickpeas and stir to combine. Divide among 4 bowls and sprinkle the za’atar on top. Finish with a drizzle of oil, and serve.
Orzo with shrimp, tomato, and marinated feta
The combination of shrimp, feta, tomatoes, and pasta is one that I love. I return to it time and again for easy one-pot suppers. Orzo is the little pasta that comes in the shape of rice. It’s easy to eat a lot of and widely available. If you buy shrimp in their shell, then keep a few heads on, just for the look. The marinated feta is lovely dotted over salads, so I tend to make a batch to keep in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Serves four
7 oz/200g feta, broken into ½–¾ inch/1–2cm pieces
½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
4 tsp fennel seeds, toasted and lightly crushed
5 tbsp/75ml olive oil
1⅓ cups/250g orzo
salt and black pepper
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 orange, peel finely shaved to get 3 strips
1 (14.5 oz/400g) can chopped tomatoes
2 cups/500ml vegetable stock
¾ cup plus 2 tbsp/200ml water
14 oz/400g raw peeled shrimp
1½ cups/30g basil leaves, roughly shredded
In a medium bowl, mix the feta with ¼ tsp of the chile flakes, 2 tsp of the fennel seeds, and 1 tbsp of the oil. Set aside while you cook the orzo.
Place a large sauté pan with a lid over medium-high heat. Add 2 tbsp of oil, the orzo, ⅛ tsp salt, and a good grind of pepper. Fry for 3–4 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden brown, then remove from th
e pan and set aside.
Return the pan to the medium-high heat and add the remaining 2 tbsp of oil, ¼ tsp of chile flakes, 2 tsp of fennel seeds, the garlic, and the orange peel. Fry for 1 minute, until the garlic starts to lightly brown, then add the tomatoes and their juice, stock, water, ¾ tsp salt, and plenty of pepper. Cook for 2–3 minutes, or until boiling, then stir in the fried orzo. Cover, then decrease the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring once or twice throughout so the orzo cooks evenly. Remove the lid and cook for 1–2 minutes, until the consistency is like risotto. Stir in the shrimp and cook for 2–3 minutes, until they are pink. Stir in the basil and serve at once, with the marinated feta sprinkled on top.
Pasta with pecorino and pistachios
Trofie is the traditional pasta to serve with pesto, but fusilli works just as well. For an extra twist of color and flavor, stir in some oven-dried tomatoes. Slice 14 oz/400g cherry tomatoes in half, toss with 1 tbsp olive oil and some salt and pepper, and roast at 350°F for 40 minutes, until semi-dried and slightly caramelized. A batch of these tomatoes will keep well for up to 1 week in a sealed container in the fridge, ready to be thrown in with all sorts of other salads and grains.
Serves four as a starter
2½ cups/50g basil leaves
1 garlic clove, crushed
3 anchovy fillets in oil, drained
5 tbsp/75ml olive oil
7 oz/200g dried trofie pasta (or fusilli)
2 cups/130g snow peas, thinly sliced on an angle
2½ oz/75g pecorino, finely shaved
½ cup plus 1 tbsp/75g shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
1 lemon: finely zest to get 1 tsp
salt and black pepper
Place 1½ cups/30g of the basil in the bowl of a food processor with the garlic, anchovies, and olive oil. Blitz to form a rough paste and set aside.
Fill a large saucepan halfway with salted water and place over high heat. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook for about 7 minutes, until nearly al dente. Add the snow peas and cook together for another 2 minutes, until the pasta is just cooked and the snow peas are soft.
Reserving 2 tbsp of water, drain the pasta and snow peas and place in a large bowl. Add the basil paste and stir well. Add the pecorino, pistachios, lemon zest, the remaining 1 cup/20g of basil, ⅛ tsp salt, and a generous grind of pepper. Toss gently to combine and serve.
Anchovy and samphire spaghetti
Both samphire (a sea vegetable—you can substitute thin spears of asparagus) and anchovy pack a really salty punch. Combining the two results in a simple little dish that delivers big on flavor. Thanks to Claudia Lazarus.
Serves four
5 tbsp/75ml olive oil
about 9 anchovy fillets in oil, drained and finely chopped (1½ tbsp)
1½ tsp Aleppo chile flakes, plus extra to serve (or ¾ tsp other crushed red pepper flakes)
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 lemon: finely zest to get 1 tsp,then cut into 4 wedges, to serve
1 cup/20g parsley, finely chopped
black pepper
7 tbsp/100ml dry white wine
9 oz/250g spaghetti
9 oz/250g samphire or thin asparagus spears, cut into lengths
Put the oil into a large sauté pan and place over medium heat. Once hot, add the anchovies, chile flakes, garlic, lemon zest, ½ cup of the parsley, and a good grind of pepper. Fry gently for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the anchovies have melted into the oil. Pour in the wine and cook for 4–5 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and reduced, then remove from the heat and set aside while you cook the pasta.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti until al dente. Thirty seconds before the spaghetti is ready, add the samphire (to the same pot the pasta is cooking in). Reserve a couple of ladles of the pasta water, then drain the pasta and samphire. Return the sauté pan of sauce to medium-high heat. Add the cooked spaghetti and samphire and toss to combine. If you need to loosen the sauce, add a little of the reserved pasta water. Stir in the remaining ½ cup of parsley and another good grind of pepper, then divide among 4 plates.
Finish with a sprinkling of chile flakes and serve, with a lemon wedge on the side.
Gnocchi alla Romana
Comfort food does not get any more comforting than this. Serve this as it is, or with a crisp green salad. It’s the ultimate family dish. I’ve yet to meet a kid who doesn’t love it or an adult who doesn’t think it’s perfect with a glass of red wine. Make this up to the point it goes in the oven if you like and keep in the fridge for 1 day before baking.
Serves eight as a starter (or eight kids)
6 tbsp/80g unsalted butter
1 qt/1L whole milk
salt and black pepper
1½ cups/250g semolina (either fine or coarse)
1 tsp finely grated nutmeg
3½ oz/100g Parmesan, finely grated
2 egg yolks
1½ oz/40g aged Cheddar, finely grated
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Put the butter and milk into a medium saucepan with 1 tsp of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Place over medium-high heat. Once the butter has melted and the milk is simmering, remove from the heat and whisk in the semolina, nutmeg, Parmesan, and egg yolks until smooth and combined. Return to the heat and whisk continuously until thickened. Continue to cook and stir for 3–4 minutes, until the mixture comes away from the sides of the pan. Set aside to cool for 15 minutes; don’t leave it for longer, or else it’ll set too much and break when rolled.
Lay two large pieces of plastic wrap—about 12 x 16 inches/30 x 40cm—on your work surface and spoon half the mixture onto each piece. Roll to form 2 sausages—each about 1½ inches/4cm wide and 15 inches/38cm long—and keep in the fridge for at least 2 hours, until set. Remove and discard the plastic, and then cut each sausage into ½-inch/1½ cm rounds. Arrange the rounds in a shallow baking sheet, about 9 x 13 inches/23 x 33cm, in rows that slightly overlap. Sprinkle with Cheddar and bake for 15 minutes, until the cheese has melted.
Turn the oven to its highest broil setting and place the gnocchi about 4 inches/10cm beneath the heat. Broil for 2–3 minutes, until the top is golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Lamb and feta meatballs
Pictured on this page, left
These work either as a main course, in a pita or with some rice and vegetables, or eaten as they are as a canapé before supper. If you do the latter, you’ll make double the number of balls and they’ll need less cooking—3–4 minutes in the pan, then 3 minutes in the oven to warm through. Once they’ve come out of the pan, put them on individual cocktail sticks (the wood skewers will be fine in the oven for such a short time, and then they’ll be ready to serve). The pomegranate molasses is a delicious addition, with its distinct sweet-sharpness, but don’t worry if you don’t have it; the meatballs are still great without it. These can be fried up to 6 hours in advance and warmed through for 5 minutes before serving. Leftovers can also be eaten the next day, either at room temperature or warmed through.
Serves six
1 lb 2 oz/500g ground lamb
3½ oz/100g feta, crumbled into ½-inch/1cm pieces
2 tbsp thyme leaves
2 garlic cloves, crushed
½ cup/10g parsley, finely chopped
1 cup/45g fresh white breadcrumbs (from about 2 slices, crusts removed)
½ tsp ground cinnamon
salt and black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp pomegranate molasses (optional)
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Put the lamb into a large bowl with the feta, thyme, garlic, parsley, breadcrumbs, cinnamon, ¾ tsp salt, and plenty of pepper. Mix well to combine, then form into
about 18 balls (or 36, if making them as a canapé): they should all be about 1½ inches/4cm in diameter and weigh about 1¼ oz/35g.
Put the oil into a large frying pan and place over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the meatballs and fry for 5–6 minutes, turning them over carefully throughout until golden brown on all sides. Transfer them to a parchment-lined baking pan, drizzle with the pomegranate molasses and bake for 5 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through. Serve hot.
Beef sirloin and basil salad
Pictured on this page, right
This works either as an impressive starter or as a lunch or light supper. All the elements can be prepared a day in advance and kept in the fridge, but don’t put the dish together until you’re just about to serve because the leaves will wilt and the croutons don’t like to sit around and mingle for too long.
Serves four
2½ cups/50g basil leaves
1 garlic clove, crushed
9 tbsp/135ml olive oil
salt
14 oz/400g top sirloin (2 steaks, each about ½ inch/1½ cm thick)