Everyday Italian_ 125 Simple and Delicious Recipes Part 13

teaspoon grated lemon zest (from about lemon) teaspoon grated lemon zest (from about lemon)

1.

tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley .

teaspoon salt, plus more to taste teaspoon salt, plus more to taste .

teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

In a Large, heavy skillet, combine the marinara sauce, tuna, capers, and lemon zest. Simmer to blend the flavors, stirring and breaking the tuna into chunks, about 5 minutes. Stir in the parsley and teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Season the sauce with more salt and pepper to taste. heavy skillet, combine the marinara sauce, tuna, capers, and lemon zest. Simmer to blend the flavors, stirring and breaking the tuna into chunks, about 5 minutes. Stir in the parsley and teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Season the sauce with more salt and pepper to taste.

To serve with pasta: Add drained freshly cooked pasta to the sauce, and toss to coat. Add enough reserved cooking liquid from the pasta to moisten.

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Everyday PESTOS.

Pesto is traditionally a green sauce made with pounded basil and pine nuts, but these days any uncooked sauce that's easy, quick, and pureed can be called a pesto-in fact, that's the point of it: a no-cook sauce. Pestos are not only perfect over pasta, but they're also great condiments for meats and fish, or simply spread on toasted bread as an appetizer. Fresh pesto will last three to four days in the refrigerator, stored airtight. And if you're going to be making a lot of pestos, it's likely that you're going to be using a lot of pine nuts. Store them in the freezer. Nuts can go rancid very quickly, and you don't want your expensive pine nuts turning to garbage within a matter of days. If you store them in the freezer, you can buy in bulk, save money, and always have them on hand. To toast nuts for pesto, bake them on a cookie sheet at 400 degrees F for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Be sure to keep an eye on them so that they don't burn!

BASIL PESTO.

The most basic, most traditional pesto is this basil-based one that was invented in Genoa, in northern Italy; it's bright green and wonderfully aromatic. Be sure to add your oil slowly, so that the sauce fully emulsifies-that is, all the ingredients bind together, creating a thick, uniform consistency. Lots of basil varieties are available, some sweeter, some spicier, and in fact basil is an important ingredient in the cooking of southeast Asia, especially in curries. Each variety will impart its unique flavor to a pesto, so be adventurous, and try whatever type appeals to you. Just remember: You need a lot of it, and it should be fresh and crisp, not wilted or soggy.

MAKES 1 CUP; SERVES 4 OVER 12 OUNCES OF PASTA AS A MAIN COURSE.

2.

cups (packed) fresh basil leaves cups (packed) fresh basil leaves .

cup cup toasted pine nuts toasted pine nuts

1.

garlic clove garlic clove .

teaspoon salt, plus more to taste teaspoon salt, plus more to taste .

teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste About cup extra-virgin olive oil teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste About cup extra-virgin olive oil .

cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In a Blender, pulse the basil, pine nuts, garlic, teaspoon of salt, and teaspoon of pepper until finely chopped. With the blender still running, gradually add enough oil to form a smooth and thick consistency. Transfer the pesto to a medium bowl and stir in the cheese. Season the pesto with more salt and pepper to taste. (The pesto can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) pulse the basil, pine nuts, garlic, teaspoon of salt, and teaspoon of pepper until finely chopped. With the blender still running, gradually add enough oil to form a smooth and thick consistency. Transfer the pesto to a medium bowl and stir in the cheese. Season the pesto with more salt and pepper to taste. (The pesto can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) The secret to making pesto into a great pasta dressing is to get the sauce to the right consistency. Fresh from the food processor, pestos are usually too thick to coat pastas; you'll just end up with mounds of the sauce amid a lot of undressed noodles. You need to mix in just enough of the pasta cooking liquid to get the pesto to coat the pasta, but not so much that you've created pesto soup. making pesto into a great pasta dressing is to get the sauce to the right consistency. Fresh from the food processor, pestos are usually too thick to coat pastas; you'll just end up with mounds of the sauce amid a lot of undressed noodles. You need to mix in just enough of the pasta cooking liquid to get the pesto to coat the pasta, but not so much that you've created pesto soup.

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SUN-DRIED TOMATO PESTO.

In winter, when fresh tomatoes aren't at their peak of ripeness and flavor, this is a great way to get your tomato fix. Sun-dried tomatoes are a wonder ingredient: They offer the rich, sweet flavors of fresh tomatoes, but they're available year-round, they have a long pantry life, they don't take up much room, and they pack a lot of flavor into a small punch. This pesto is a great topping for sauteed or grilled fish, and it's also wonderful for a picnic because it can be eaten cold or hot. Also perfect over penne.

MAKES ABOUT 1 CUPS; SERVES 4 OVER 12 OUNCES OF PASTA AS A MAIN COURSE.

1.

(8.5-ounce) jar sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil (8.5-ounce) jar sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil

1.

cup (packed) fresh basil leaves cup (packed) fresh basil leaves

2.

garlic cloves garlic cloves .

cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese .

teaspoon salt, plus more to taste teaspoon salt, plus more to taste .

teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

In the Bowl of a food processor, blend the sun-dried tomatoes and their oil with the basil and garlic just until the tomatoes are finely chopped. Transfer the pesto to a medium bowl, and stir in the cheese and teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Season the pesto with more salt and pepper to taste. (This pesto will last for 1 week if stored in an airtight container.) of a food processor, blend the sun-dried tomatoes and their oil with the basil and garlic just until the tomatoes are finely chopped. Transfer the pesto to a medium bowl, and stir in the cheese and teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Season the pesto with more salt and pepper to taste. (This pesto will last for 1 week if stored in an airtight container.) For this dish, I like to use sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil because the oil has had time to marinate with the tomatoes, thus adding a heightened flavor to this pesto. If you can't find the oil-packed ones, then soak dry sun-dried tomatoes in extra-virgin olive oil for 12 hours. I like to use sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil because the oil has had time to marinate with the tomatoes, thus adding a heightened flavor to this pesto. If you can't find the oil-packed ones, then soak dry sun-dried tomatoes in extra-virgin olive oil for 12 hours.

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SPINACH AND PINE NUT PESTO.

In the past few years, Americans have been treated to a dazzling array of new convenience food; the supermarket aisles are lined with items you can eat right now! right now! I'm not a big fan of most of these. But I I'm not a big fan of most of these. But I am am a big fan of pre-washed, pretrimmed greens, like the bags of baby spinach that are almost universally available. Cleaning fresh spinach is no treat: The bunches are filled with sand and grit, requiring multiple changes of water to remove; and it's time-consuming to separate the fibrous stalks from the tender leaves. But these bags of baby spinach, on the other hand, are ready to go: Tear open the bag, dump the greens into a salad bowl, and they're ready to dress. Or just toss into the saute pan with a little olive oil and garlic, and you can be eating bright, fresh spinach in mere seconds. Or throw into the blender with some other ingredients-and bingo! Pesto! a big fan of pre-washed, pretrimmed greens, like the bags of baby spinach that are almost universally available. Cleaning fresh spinach is no treat: The bunches are filled with sand and grit, requiring multiple changes of water to remove; and it's time-consuming to separate the fibrous stalks from the tender leaves. But these bags of baby spinach, on the other hand, are ready to go: Tear open the bag, dump the greens into a salad bowl, and they're ready to dress. Or just toss into the saute pan with a little olive oil and garlic, and you can be eating bright, fresh spinach in mere seconds. Or throw into the blender with some other ingredients-and bingo! Pesto!

MAKES 1 CUP; SERVES 4 OVER 12 OUNCES OF PASTA AS A MAIN COURSE.

2.

cup (tightly packed) baby spinach leaves (about 2 ounces) cup (tightly packed) baby spinach leaves (about 2 ounces) .

cup cup toasted pine nuts toasted pine nuts

1.

to 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (from about 1 lemon) to 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (from about 1 lemon)

2.

tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from about lemon) tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from about lemon)

cup olive oil cup olive oil

cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese .

teaspoon salt, plus more to taste teaspoon salt, plus more to taste .