Cooking for Two by Bruce Weinstein, Mark Scarbrough
Authors: Bruce Weinstein, Mark Scarbrough
Tags: Cookbook
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or linguine for the fusilli.
½ pound lean ground beef, preferably ground sirloin
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons plain dried bread crumbs
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, or 1 tablespoon dried parsley
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (about ½ ounce)
1½ teaspoons minced fresh sage, or ½ teaspoon rubbed sage
2 tablespoons milk (regular, low-fat, or nonfat)
2 small garlic cloves, minced
1 large egg, separated, at room temperature
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, minced
1 medium carrot, minced
1 medium celery rib, minced
1 ounce pancetta (see page 10), finely chopped
One 14½-ounce can diced tomatoes
½ cup dry vermouth
2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ cup fresh peas, or ½ cup frozen peas, defrosted
6 ounces dried fusilli or ziti, or 6 ounces dried spaghetti, cooked according to package instructions
1. Mix the ground beef, 2 tablespoons of the bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon fresh or 1 teaspoon dried parsley, the cheese, sage, milk, half the garlic, the egg yolk, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl with a fork, just until combined. Use your hands or a wooden spoon so as not to overworkthe mixture, and tear the meat fibers. Shape this mixture into 8 meatballs, each about the size of a golf ball.
2. Beat the egg white in a small bowl until frothy. Place the remaining ¼ cup bread crumbs on a cutting board or a clean, dry work surface.
3. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat and swirl in the olive oil. Dip a meatball first in the beaten egg white, then roll it in the bread crumbs, and finally place it in the skillet. Repeat with the remaining meatballs. Fry them for about 3 minutes, or until lightly browned all over but not until cooked through, turning occasionally. Using a slotted spoon, transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels to drain, but do not drain the pan drippings from the skillet.
4. Stir in the onion, carrot, and celery and cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes, or until soft and fragrant, stirring occasionally. Stir in the chopped pancetta and the remaining garlic, then cook for 2 more minutes, or until the pancetta is lightly browned, stirring frequently.
5. Pour in the tomatoes (with their juice) and the vermouth, stir well, then add the oregano, sugar, pepper flakes, the remaining parsley, and the meatballs. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring once or twice. Stir in the peas and simmer, uncovered, for about 5 more minutes, or until the sauce thickens somewhat.
6. Add the pasta and toss to coat. Cook for 1 additional minute to heat through, then divide between two bowls and serve.
S PAGHETTI
with
E GGPLANT , B ELL P EPPER ,
and
G OAT C HEESE
makes 2
servings
T his is a simplified, everyday take on an Italian favorite of fried eggplant simmered in a tomato ragoût. Ours is less oily because the eggplant slices are baked, not fried. It’s also quicker to make. Soft, mellow goat cheese stands in for the long-simmered ragoût—it thickens the sauce, giving it a creamy richness in no time. That convenience comes with one caveat: because the sauce cooks so quickly, use only fresh basil, not dried, which will not have enough time to soften and release its flavor.
1 small eggplant (about ½ pound), preferably white, peeled and cut into ½-inch rounds
2½ tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 small yellow or red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and thinly sliced into rings
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
2 Italian plum tomatoes, chopped (a little less than 1 cup)
¼ cup packed fresh basil leaves, shredded
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
6 ounces dried spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccine, cooked in unsalted water according to package directions,cup cooking water reserved (see Note)
2 ounces fresh goat cheese, such as Montrachet, at room temperature
1. Preheat the oven to
½ pound lean ground beef, preferably ground sirloin
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons plain dried bread crumbs
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, or 1 tablespoon dried parsley
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (about ½ ounce)
1½ teaspoons minced fresh sage, or ½ teaspoon rubbed sage
2 tablespoons milk (regular, low-fat, or nonfat)
2 small garlic cloves, minced
1 large egg, separated, at room temperature
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, minced
1 medium carrot, minced
1 medium celery rib, minced
1 ounce pancetta (see page 10), finely chopped
One 14½-ounce can diced tomatoes
½ cup dry vermouth
2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ cup fresh peas, or ½ cup frozen peas, defrosted
6 ounces dried fusilli or ziti, or 6 ounces dried spaghetti, cooked according to package instructions
1. Mix the ground beef, 2 tablespoons of the bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon fresh or 1 teaspoon dried parsley, the cheese, sage, milk, half the garlic, the egg yolk, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl with a fork, just until combined. Use your hands or a wooden spoon so as not to overworkthe mixture, and tear the meat fibers. Shape this mixture into 8 meatballs, each about the size of a golf ball.
2. Beat the egg white in a small bowl until frothy. Place the remaining ¼ cup bread crumbs on a cutting board or a clean, dry work surface.
3. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat and swirl in the olive oil. Dip a meatball first in the beaten egg white, then roll it in the bread crumbs, and finally place it in the skillet. Repeat with the remaining meatballs. Fry them for about 3 minutes, or until lightly browned all over but not until cooked through, turning occasionally. Using a slotted spoon, transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels to drain, but do not drain the pan drippings from the skillet.
4. Stir in the onion, carrot, and celery and cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes, or until soft and fragrant, stirring occasionally. Stir in the chopped pancetta and the remaining garlic, then cook for 2 more minutes, or until the pancetta is lightly browned, stirring frequently.
5. Pour in the tomatoes (with their juice) and the vermouth, stir well, then add the oregano, sugar, pepper flakes, the remaining parsley, and the meatballs. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring once or twice. Stir in the peas and simmer, uncovered, for about 5 more minutes, or until the sauce thickens somewhat.
6. Add the pasta and toss to coat. Cook for 1 additional minute to heat through, then divide between two bowls and serve.
S PAGHETTI
with
E GGPLANT , B ELL P EPPER ,
and
G OAT C HEESE
makes 2
servings
T his is a simplified, everyday take on an Italian favorite of fried eggplant simmered in a tomato ragoût. Ours is less oily because the eggplant slices are baked, not fried. It’s also quicker to make. Soft, mellow goat cheese stands in for the long-simmered ragoût—it thickens the sauce, giving it a creamy richness in no time. That convenience comes with one caveat: because the sauce cooks so quickly, use only fresh basil, not dried, which will not have enough time to soften and release its flavor.
1 small eggplant (about ½ pound), preferably white, peeled and cut into ½-inch rounds
2½ tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 small yellow or red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and thinly sliced into rings
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
2 Italian plum tomatoes, chopped (a little less than 1 cup)
¼ cup packed fresh basil leaves, shredded
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
6 ounces dried spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccine, cooked in unsalted water according to package directions,cup cooking water reserved (see Note)
2 ounces fresh goat cheese, such as Montrachet, at room temperature
1. Preheat the oven to
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