Not the Italian wedding soup of meatballs, greens and pasta that’s popular in the U.S., the name of the dish on which this recipe is based is Minestra Maritata, which translates from the Italian as “married soup.” Although the two do share similarities.
As in Naples, the meats in this recipe are bone-in cuts of beef and pork that give the broth richness and body. But for easier eating, after cooking shred the meat and discard the bones. Pancetta also simmers in the mix along with a piece of Parmesan rind, each lending even more savoriness to the broth. Although at the end, we did NOT discard the pieces of pancetta–what a waste!
The “marriage” of cooked greens and broth is what gives the dish its name. The vegetables are directly simmered in the broth. Rabe offers an assertive bitterness that nicely balances the richness of the soup; escarole (our choice) is milder and cooks down to a silky, supple texture. Warm, crusty toasted garlic bread is the perfect accompaniment.
Don’t bother with precision when prepping the onion, carrots and celery. The aromatics are simmered in the broth for flavor, but later are scooped out and discarded. If using escarole, be sure to wash it thoroughly as the frilly leaves tend to trap a good amount of grit.
2½-1b. rack pork baby back ribs, cut into 3 sections between the ribs
1-lb. bone-in beef shank (1 to 1½ inches thick)
1 2-inch piece Parmesan cheese rind, plus finely grated Parmesan, to serve
1 bunch broccoli rabe, trimmed and roughly chopped, or 1 large head escarole, chopped, or a combination
½ cup lightly packed fresh basil, chopped
Directions
In a large Dutch oven, combine the pancetta and oil. Cook over medium-low, stirring occasionally, until the pancetta begins to brown, about 10 minutes. Increase to medium, stir in the onion, carrots and celery, then cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 10 minutes.
Add the garlic, tomato paste, pepper flakes and 1 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring, until the tomato paste begins to stick to the pot and brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 10 cups water (or a mixture of broth and water) and the bay, then bring to a boil over medium-high, scraping up any browned bits.
Add the ribs, beef shank and Parmesan rind. Return to a simmer, then cover, reduce to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until a skewer inserted between the pork ribs and into the meat on the shank meets no resistance, about 2 hours. Remove from the heat.
Using tongs, transfer the ribs and shank to a large bowl; set aside to cool. Meanwhile, using a slotted spoon, remove and discard the solids from the broth (keeping the larger chunks of pancetta, if desired). Tilt the pan to pool the liquid to one side, then use a wide spoon to remove and discard as much fat as possible from the surface of the liquid.
When the meats are cool enough to handle, shred the beef into bite-size pieces, discarding the fat, bone and gristle. Using a paring knife, cut the pork ribs between the bones to separate into individual ribs. Remove the meat from the bones and shred into bite-size pieces; discard the fat, bones and gristle. Set both meats aside.
Bring the broth to a simmer over medium-high. Add the rabe (or escarole) to the pot and cook, stirring often, until tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the shredded meats and cook, stirring, until heated through, about 2 minutes.
Off heat, stir in the basil, then taste and season with salt and black pepper. Serve with grated Parmesan on the side.
This rich, warming, autumnal dish is Milk Street’s version of pasta alla boscaiola, or woodsman’s pasta, which features earthy, meaty mushrooms. For varied flavor and texture, use a mix of different types of fungi, but thanks to the alliums, pancetta, cream and Parmesan that play supporting roles, the pasta is delicious even if made only with basic creminis. A little white wine is added for flavor-lifting acidity, and tomato puree to tie together all the elements .
Even though you might love them, don’t use portobello mushrooms for this recipe. Unless the gills are scraped off, their inky color will make the sauce dark and murky. Additionally, portobello caps are too large and thick for sauces like this one.
Instead of the suggested ziti or gemelli, we used a whole grain reginetti from Sfoglini—Bottom line: Sfoglini pastas are made with organic grains grown on North American farms which are always milled in the US. We also lowered the amount from one pound to 12 ounces. Finally, we increasing the pancetta from 4 ounces to almost 7 (because that is what we had on hand).
Here’s the thing about Sfoglini pasta: It combines the very best of Italian technique and American ingredients. Day in, day out, that’s the balance they strive to achieve. What does that mean? For starters, it means traditional bronze dies and plates on everything they make, which results in the beautiful, rough texture on your pasta (which makes the sauce stick!). In addition, they slow-dry every one of our pastas at a low temperature to preserve both flavor and nutrients.
You will need to reserve one cup of the pasta water when it is done. An easy trick to help you remember is putting a measuring cup into the colander that is in the sink. As you go to pour out the pasta water, the measuring cup will remind you to reserve some before you pour it all down the drain. If that does happen however, you can immediately pour one cup of hot water back into the drained pasta, let it set for a few minutes, then pour the liquid back into a measuring cup.
1 lb. mixed mushrooms, such as cremini, oyster or stemmed shiitake mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
1 14½-oz. can tomato puree (1½ cups)
¼ cup heavy cream
1 oz. Parmesan cheese, finely grated (½ cup), plus more to serve
Directions
In a large pot, bring 4 quarts water to a boil. Add the pasta and 1 tablespoon salt, then cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain and return the pasta to the pot.
Meanwhile, in a 12-inch skillet, combine the oil, pancetta, onion and garlic. Cook over medium, stirring occasionally, until the pancetta is lightly browned and the onion is translucent, 8 to 10 minutes.
Add the wine and cook, stirring, until almost evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the mushrooms and cook over medium-high, stirring occasionally, until the moisture they release evaporates, 4 to 5 minutes.
Stir in the tomato puree and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then reduce to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly thickened, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the mushroom mixture to the pasta in the pot, along with the cream, ½ cup of the reserved pasta water and the cheese. Cook over medium, stirring, until the sauce clings to the pasta, 3 to 4 minutes; add more pasta water as needed so the sauce lightly coats the noodles.
Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve sprinkled with additional cheese.
Milk Street got the idea for this pasta dish from “Pasta Grannies” by Vicky Bennison. The unusual sauce is made by blitzing artichokes in a blender. Canned artichokes are used instead of fresh for ease, but first they are browned in a mixture of olive oil and rendered in pancetta fat to build flavor in the sauce. The crisp bits of pancetta lend texture and saltiness, lemon adds brightness and balance, and a generous amount of Parmesan ties all the elements together. Voila!
With a minimum of ingredients, this lovely pasta dish can be served as a first course or as the main entrée. Instead of canned, we used frozen artichokes—just make sure to really dry those chokes, otherwise they won’t brown. Using a wider pan would accelerate the browning process. In fact, you may want more of them for the topping!
Don’t use marinated artichokes for this recipe, as their flavor is too sharp and tangy. After draining the artichokes, make sure to pat them dry so they caramelize when added to the pot. Don’t forget to reserve about 2 cups of the pasta water before draining the noodles. You will need it for pureeing the artichokes and building the sauce. And we used every drop of those 2 cups, so perhaps save a bit more…
One other note. Instead of letting the cooked pasta sit in a colander while you make the rest of the dish, use two pots. As the linguine boils, cook the pancetta and then the artichokes in another. This way, everything comes together at one time and is guaranteed to be piping hot.
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to serve
4 oz. pancetta, chopped
14 oz. can artichoke hearts, drained, patted dry and quartered if whole
1 Tbsp. grated lemon zest, plus 3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 oz. Parmesan cheese, finely grated (1 cup), plus more to serve
½ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley OR chives OR basil
Directions
In a large pot, bring 4 quarts water to a boil. Stir in the pasta and 1 tablespoon salt, then cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Reserve about 2 cups of the cooking water, then drain.
In the same pot over medium, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring, until crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a small plate; set aside.
Add the artichokes to the pot and cook, stirring, until beginning to brown at the edges, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat. Transfer half the artichokes to a small bowl; add the remainder to a blender. Reserve the pot.
To the artichokes in the blender, add ½ cup cooking water, the lemon juice and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper; puree until smooth. In the same pot over medium, bring 1 cup of the remaining cooking water to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits.
Add the artichoke puree, the pasta, lemon zest, pancetta, Parmesan and parsley. Cook, tossing to combine, just until the noodles are heated through, 1 to 2 minutes; add more reserved water as needed to make a silky sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Transfer to a serving bowl and top with the reserved artichokes, along with additional oil and Parmesan.
Recipe adapted from one found in a recent Cook’s Illustrated magazine, the traditional Italian dish Pasta e Piselli, like its better-known cousins pasta e fagioli and pasta e ceci,combines peas with small pasta to form a hearty soup; all of which come together in one pot. Always a plus for a weeknight meal.
The pasta is cooked in a broth flavored with sautéed onion and savory pancetta, simultaneously infusing the pasta with savoriness and thickening the rich, silky broth. As well as using homemade chicken stock, we doubled the pancetta to four ounces, both of which provided more depth of flavor.
At the end of the cooking process, frozen petite peas (sweeter and less starchy than fresh peas), are added—in our case it was 2 cups as opposed to 1 1⁄2 cups because that was the contents of the bag. Immediately afterward, the pot is taken off the heat to preserve their tenderness and bright green color.
A sprinkle of Pecorino Romano contributes richness and tangy depth. Last-minute additions of minced herbs and extra-virgin olive oil punch up the aroma and flavors of the dish. You can substitute small pasta such as tubetti, ditali, elbow macaroni, or small shells for the ditalini, but do so by weight, not by volume.
TIP: For a vegetarian version, omit the pancetta, substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth, and add an extra 2 tablespoons of grated cheese. Pecorino Romano adds a welcome sharpness. Cook’s Illustrated does not recommend substituting Parmesan in this recipe.
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 onion, chopped fine
4 oz. pancetta, chopped fine
½ tsp. table salt
½ tsp. pepper
2½ cups chicken broth, preferably homemade
2½ cups water
7½ oz. (1½ cups) ditalini
1½ to 2 cups frozen petite peas
⅓ cup minced fresh parsley
¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus extra for serving
2 Tbsp. minced fresh mint
Directions
Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion, pancetta, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is softened, 7 to 10 minutes.
Add broth and water and bring to boil over high heat. Stir in pasta and cook, stirring frequently, until liquid returns to boil. Reduce heat to maintain simmer; cover; and cook until pasta is al dente, 8 to 10 minutes.
Stir in peas and remove saucepan from heat. Stir in parsley, Pecorino, and mint. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, drizzling with extra oil and passing extra Pecorino separately.
A cool, rainy Sunday during the COVID-19 lockdown—perfect for us to spend time together cooking in the kitchen. While The Mr. made his homemade chicken stock, I started assembling this wonderful Lasagna Bolognese recipe by Diane Unger, found in an issue of Milk Street Magazine.
A slice of the mouth-watering Lasagna Bolognese after sitting for 30 minutes and topped with a mixture of grated Pecorino Romano and Parmesan cheeses.
Yes, it is time-intensive, but it makes enough ragù for the lasagnawith plenty of leftovers for another night’s pasta dinner. And given all of the statistical data showing most of this country still in lockdown, time is one thing you do have plenty of (unless of course you’re one of the heroes out there keeping this country safe and operational).
The velvety besciamella was simply awesome! You can make it ahead of time and rewarm it when assembling the casserole. It’s amazing how light this lasgana was considering all of the meat. But in retrospect, there’s really not a lot of cheese—just the 3 ounces in the white sauce, along with any you sprinkle on as a garnish.
Try to purchase pancetta in a large chunk from the deli counter, and if it comes in casing-like plastic, make sure to remove and discard the wrap before use. The next best option is packaged already diced pancetta; if pre-sliced is the only option, it will work, but will cost a lot more and requires less time in the food processor.
Don’t trim the fat from the beef and pork. The fat makes the ragù rich and supple, and carries the flavors of the other ingredients. Don’t process the beef and pork too finely; a coarse grind yields the best-textured sauce. It may seem a bit thin after the long braise, but don’t fret because a bit of powdered gelatin gives the ragù a rich, velvety body that otherwise would require an even lengthier simmer to achieve.
We went a step further and bought bone-in short-ribs, cutting the meat off the bones, then tossing those bones in with the ground meats to simmer for 3 hours.
You may wonder why not just used already crushed canned tomatoes instead of going through the step of blending canned whole tomatoes in a food processor. The simple answer? Whole tomatoes are generally sold peeled, in either juice or puree. This is usually the highest quality tomato product. Crushed tomatoes are a mixture of diced tomatoes and tomato puree or paste. Furthermore, crushed tomatoes are unpredictable. With some brands they’re crushed almost to a purée, while other brands might still have big chunks.
You’ve probably run into bare shelves at the grocery store during these crazy times. Well, when I was shopping for this recipe, almost the entire selection of pasta was gone! There were two boxes of lasgana, (not the no-bake variety as indicated below), so I grabbed one and made the best of it. If you are fortunate enough to get them, don’t use the noodles without first soaking them. Unsoaked noodles absorb moisture from both the ragù and besciamella, leaving the lasagna too dry. But don’t soak them for longer than 10 minutes.
3 Cups parmesan besciamella, warmed (see recipe below)
Finely grated parmesan and/or Pecorino-Romano cheese, to serve
Directions
Heat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the middle position.
Place the noodles in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, then add hot water to cover, along with the oil and 1 Tbsp. salt; swish the noodles around to dissolve the salt. Let stand for 10 minutes, moving the noodles around halfway through to ensure they do not stick together.
Remove the noodles from the water and arrange in a single layer on a kitchen towel; pat dry with paper towels. Wipe out the baking dish.
Distribute 2 cups ragù evenly in the baking dish, then place 3 noodles in a single layer on top.
Spread ¼ cup besciamella onto each noodle, all the way to the edges. Pour 1 cup ragù on top and spread evenly.
Repeat the layering 3 more times, using the remaining noodles, besciamella and ragù, then cover the baking dish tightly with foil.
Bake until the edges of the lasagna are bubbling, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Transfer to a wire rack, uncover and cool for about 30 minutes.
Cut into pieces and serve sprinkled with Parmesan.
Our lasagna pan was filled to the brim and we knew it would probably overflow so we set the casserole dish on a rimmed baking sheet. We also neglected to cover the dish with tinfoil before cooking it in the oven. It was done perfectly after 35 minutes, even without the foil!
This white sauce is packed with flavor from bay, basil and Parmesan and gets a hint of heat from red pepper flakes. The finished besciamella can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to two days.
Don’t allow the sauce to cool completely before straining. It flows more easily through the mesh of the strainer when warm and fluid.
6 Tbsp.s (¾ stick) salted butter, cut into 6 pieces
¼ Cup all-purpose flour
1 Quart half-and-half
3 Bay leaves
½ Tsp. red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
3 Oz. parmesan cheese, finely grated (1½ cups)
6 Large fresh basil leaves
Directions
In a large saucepan over medium, melt the butter.
Whisk in the flour, then cook, whisking constantly, for 2 minutes. While whisking, gradually add the half-and-half and bring to a simmer.
Add the bay and pepper flakes, then reduce to low. Cook, whisking often, until thickened and reduced slightly and no longer tastes of raw starch, 10 to 15 minutes.
Off heat, whisk in the Parmesan and basil. Cool for 5 minutes, then set a fine mesh strainer over a medium bowl, pour the sauce into the strainer and press on the solids with a silicone spatula; discard the solids.
This recipe makes enough ragù for lasagna Bolognese with enough leftovers for another night’s pasta dinner. Try to purchase pancetta in a large chunk from the deli counter, and if it comes in casing-like plastic, make sure to remove and discard the wrap before use. The next best option is packaged already diced pancetta; if pre-sliced is the only option, it will work, but will cost a lot more and requires less time in the food processor. We add a bit of powdered gelatin to give the ragù a rich, velvety body that otherwise would require a lengthy simmer to achieve. The finished ragù can be cooled to room temperature and refrigerated for up to three days.
Don’t trim the fat from the beef and pork. The fat makes the ragù rich and supple, and carries the flavors of the other ingredients. Don’t process the beef and pork too finely; a coarse grind yields the best-textured sauce.
1 Large yellow onion, cut into rough 1-inch pieces
1 Medium celery stalk, cut into rough 1-inch pieces
1 Medium carrot, peeled and cut into rough 1-inch pieces
2 28-Ounce cans whole tomatoes
1½ Lbs. boneless beef short ribs, cut into rough 1-inch chunks
1 Lb. boneless pork shoulder, cut into rough 1-inch chunks
8 Oz. piece pancetta, cut into rough 1-inch chunks
¼ Cup tomato paste
½ Cup dry white wine
2 Cups low-sodium beef broth
4 Bay leaves
½ tsp. red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp. unflavored powdered gelatin
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
Directions
In a large Dutch oven, combine the butter and oil. In a food processor, pulse the onion, celery and carrot until roughly chopped, about 5 pulses. Transfer to the Dutch oven.
One can at a time, add the tomatoes with juices to the food processor and puree until smooth; transfer to a medium bowl.
Add half the beef to the food processor and pulse until coarsely ground, 5 to 10 pulses, then transfer to another medium bowl; repeat with the remaining beef.
Repeat with the pork, in batches, adding it to the beef.
Finally, process the pancetta to a coarse paste, about 30 seconds; add to the other meats.
Set the pot over medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until the paste begins to brown, about 5 minutes.
Add the wine and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until the pot is almost dry, about 1 minute.
Stir in the ground meats, then stir in the broth, tomatoes, bay and pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer, then partially cover, reduce to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender, the sauce is thick and the volume has reduced to about 8 cups, 2½ to 3 hours.
Pour ¼ cup water into a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the top; let stand for 5 minutes to soften.
Meanwhile, taste and season the ragù with salt and pepper, then remove and discard the bay. Stir in the softened gelatin until fully dissolved.
Accounting for Taste 