Not too long ago, pasta was everyone’s go-to meal in my family. Quick to prepare, it was even quicker to disappear off the plate, so we made lots. In fact, my kids used to say they could eat pasta every night.
The pasta bubble burst when the nutrition police declared that it was a “bad” carb, giving us nothing but empty calories.
I didn’t give up. I decided to try some whole-grain pasta (good-for-you carbs) and found those imported from Italy were quite good.
In fact, their nutty, rustic flavors were delicious tossed with a hearty sauce. I don’t feel pasta-deprived or compromised serving these healthy dishes.
Linguine with Mushrooms and Mascarpone
Serves 4-6
1 cup mascarpone cheese
3 Tbs. sherry or balsamic vinegar
2 Tbs. olive oil
1⁄2 lbs. green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces and blanched
1⁄2 lb. zucchini, cut into matchsticks
2 shallots, sliced
1 lb. brown mushrooms, stemmed and cut into strips
pinch red pepper flakes
1 lb. whole-grain linguine noodles, cooked and drained
chopped parsley
In a small saucepan, combine mascarpone and vinegar. Cook over low heat until melted. Cover and keep warm.
In a large skillet or sauté pan, heat oil. Cook green beans, zucchini and shallots until tender, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and pepper flakes and cook another 2 minutes. Toss pasta with vegetables and cheese sauce. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Penne with Salmon with Cream Sauce
Serves 4-6
1⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb. boned and skinned salmon fillet, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 cloves garlic, minced
1⁄2 tsp. crushed red pepper
28-oz. can Italian imported tomatoes, puréed in blender
2 Tbs. vodka
1⁄2-1 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper
1 lb. whole-grain penne pasta, cooked and drained chopped parsley
In a large skillet, heat 3 Tbs. oil. Cook salmon about 3 minutes and remove with slotted spoon. Cover and keep warm.
Add remaining oil to skillet and cook garlic and pepper flakes until garlic starts to color. Add tomatoes and simmer, uncovered, about 10 minutes or until sauce begins to thicken. Add vodka and cream and cook a few minutes more, or until bubbles form around the edges.
Return salmon to skillet and heat through. Add pasta to skillet and toss well. Cover and let sit for a few minutes. Taste for salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Farro Fettucini with Squash and Spinach
Serves 4-6
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into cubes
4 Tbs. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
12 oz. fresh spinach, chopped
1 cup vegetable stock or pasta water
1 cup cooked kidney beans
1 lb. farro fettucini, cooked and drained
salt and pepper
grated cheese
Cook squash in boiling water 7 minutes. Drain and reserve.
In a large skillet, heat oil. Cook onion until soft. Stir in squash and cook another 3 minutes. Add spinach and cook just until wilted. Add stock or water and bring to a boil. Stir in beans and heat through. Toss with pasta and taste for salt and pepper. Toss again with cheese. Sprinkle with basil and serve.
Louise Fiszer is a Palo Alto cooking teacher, author and the co-author of “Jewish Holiday Feasts.” Her columns alternate with those of Faith Kramer. Questions and recipe ideas can be sent to j. or to [email protected].