Sweet Sausage Sugo with White Wine and Fennel →

In Italian, “sugo” means juice. Sugo di Pomodoro (tomato sauce) is juicier than marinara sauce and lighter than a slow-cooked ragú. This recipe, adapted from Chef Andrew Carmellini, is an updated, refined version of a dish my grandmother used to make when I was a kid. Marinating the sausage in a mixture of white wine, grated garlic, black pepper, and red pepper flakes tenderizes the pork, adds depth, and balances the richness of the sauce. Quick and easy to prepare, this sugo is loaded with flavor your family will love. My grandmother would be smiling. Mangiare mi familia!

SWEET SAUSAGE SUGO WITH WHITE WINE AND FENNEL
Serves 4-6
Ingredients

• 4 garlic cloves, grated (about 1 tablespoon)

• 1 1/3 cups dry white wine, divided

• 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed

• 1 teaspoon ground fennel

• ½ teaspoon black pepper

• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper

• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

• 1 small carrot, finely chopped

• 1 celery stalk, finely chopped

• 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, undrained and crushed (San Marzano tomatoes recommended)

• 1 (14.5-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, undrained and crushed

• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 pound uncooked spaghetti (I prefer thin linguine or spaghetti rigati)

• ½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

• ¼ cup chopped fresh basil, plus small leaves for garnish

• ½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish

Preparation

1. Stir together the grated garlic and 1/3 cup wine in a large bowl. Add sausage, fennel, black pepper, and crushed red pepper; stir well to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 12 hours.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium until shimmering. Increase heat to high and add the sausage mixture; cook, breaking up the sausage until lightly browned. Stir in the onion, carrot, and celery and sauté until the onion is translucent and the celery and carrot are softened, about 4 minutes. Add the remaining 1 cup of wine, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the skillet, until the wine is nearly evaporated. Stir in the crushed tomatoes with juices and salt. Bring the mixture to a simmer over high; reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced by about half, about 30 minutes.
3. While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high. Add spaghetti and cook according to package directions for al dente, about 6-8 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of cooking liquid. Add ¼-½ cup of pasta water to the sauce to thin it. Add a cup of the sauce to the hot pasta and stir to coat the pasta. Stir in the cheese, basil, and parsley. Serve the hot pasta with additional sauce spooned over and garnished with extra Parmesan, chopped basil, and parsley. Serve with crusty bread.

Wine pairing: Chianti, Sangiovese, Zinfandel, Syrah, Cotes du Rhone

Pasta and Crab with Prosciutto and Green Peas →

Here's a light and delicious pasta dish to serve as a small plate starter or as a quick and indulgent weeknight meal accompanied by a green salad. I collected the recipe many years ago from Food and Wine Magazine and have tweaked it to enhance the flavor profile and dress it up a bit. I hope you like it. Food is intimately connected to memories. Lump crab meat is an indulgence these days, unlike my childhood when my grandfather and I would fill a bushel basket full of blue crabs from Quonochontaug Pond in South County, Rhode Island. Here's to you Grampa! Thanks for that memory.

Pasta and Crab with Prosciutto and Green Peas
Serves 4 

INGREDIENTS
·   1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
·   2 thin slices of prosciutto, cut into thin strips
·   3 tablespoons unsalted butter
·    ½ cup sliced shallots
·    1 small garlic clove, thinly sliced
·    ¾ cup dry white wine
·     ½ pound lump crab meat
·     1 ½ teaspoons chopped thyme
·     1 ½ teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
·     1/3 cup blanched green peas
·     ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
·     2 teaspoons lemon zest
·     ½ pound thin linguini (or Angel-hair pasta)
·     Salt and freshly ground pepper
·     2 tablespoons chopped parsley

DIRECTIONS
1.  In a deep skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the prosciutto and cook over moderate heat, tossing, until hot; transfer the prosciutto to a plate.
2.  Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in the skillet. Add the shallots and cook over moderate heat until softened, but not brown. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant. (1-2 minutes Don’t burn the garlic.)
3.  Add the wine and boil until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add the crab, green peas, thyme, and oregano and toss until hot.
4.  Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain, reserving 2/3 cup of the cooking water.
5.  Add the prosciutto, pasta, lemon zest, reserved cooking water, and remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet; mix well. Season with salt and pepper.
6.  Garnish the pasta with parsley and serve. Grated parmesan is optional.

Wine pairing: a dry, white wine like Pinot Blanc, Chablis, Vermentino, Albariño, Viognier
Adapted from: https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/angel-hair-pasta-crab-and-country-ham

Creamy Artichoke Pasta with Lemon and Capers →

Cooking and eating are so often connected to memories. Memories of our families, places we’ve been, good friends, good times… When I cook this dish I’m reminded of Lafayette, southern Louisiana, where I was introduced to Cajun/Creole cooking. Served with spicy Cajun shrimp, this dish is a delicious example of the fusion of French, Italian, African, and Spanish traditions that are reflected in Creole and Cajun food. Eating a plate of this pasta and shrimp, I can almost hear my grandmother’s laugh and Zydeco music off in the distance. Bon appetit et laissez le bon temps rouler!

Creamy Artichoke Pasta with Lemon and Capers
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 pound thin linguine, fettuccine, or rotini

• 1 cup ricotta

• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

• ½ cup freshly grated pecorino or Parmesan

• Zest and juice from ½ lemon

• ¼ cup dry white wine

• 1 clove garlic minced

• 1 tablespoon capers

• 4 canned or frozen (not marinated) artichokes halved

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• ¼ teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes

Garnish with freshly snipped or torn basil
Optional: serve with Spicy Cajun Shrimp

Preparation:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

1. While you prepare the sauce, cook your pasta and reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining the pasta.

2. While the pasta cooks, combine the ricotta, oil, pecorino, lemon juice, and zest in a medium bowl. Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Set aside.

3. Over medium heat, add a tablespoon of olive oil to a skillet and briefly sauté the garlic and capers stirring constantly, about a minute, don’t let the garlic burn.

4. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes, the artichokes, and the ¼ cup of wine; bring to a boil stirring until the wine has almost evaporated.

5. Reduce the heat to low and add the ricotta mixture and stir. Add a ¼ cup of reserved pasta water if the sauce is too thick and not creamy smooth. Keep adding a ¼ cup of pasta water at a time, stirring constantly until the sauce is creamy and the consistency you want. Check for salt and pepper to your taste.

6. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and stir gently to coat.

7. Sprinkle with grated pecorino or parmesan and garnish with basil, and more freshly ground black pepper.

Optional: serve as above garnished with 3-4 Spicy Cajun Shrimp.

Adapted from: https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a26830130/ricotta-pasta-recipe