A Pasta Risotto?
What makes a risotto a risotto? Is it the arborio rice? Or is it the method: first frying the starch (usually arborio rice) in a bit of butter/olive oil, followed by cooking it slowly and gently in ladlefuls of stock, added as the grains absorb the liquid? I wondered about this when I came across this recipe in the October issue of Food and Wine magazine. Quite naturally, I didn't wonder for long since, well, duh, I can google for a clue or answer. It turns out that it is probably the grain that defines risotto, since riso means rice in Italian.
Anyhow, back to the dish. I just tried it tonight and it was simply delicious. What is wonderful about it is that the effect is much like risotto - creamy, delicate - but the mouth feel is more substantial. I did not add the full 1/2 cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano as the recipe called for, putting in just a scant 1/4 cup instead. I figured that the goat cheese added enough cream, and it did. Do the full version if you wish.
This recipe can be found at Foodandwine.com (search creamy pasta and you will find the exact same recipe there, minus my reduction of Parmigiano-Reggiano used and suggested pan for cooking). It is supposed to yield 4 servings, but we think it serves only 2 to 3 hungry mouths as a main course. (There were two of us and we had barely any leftovers!)
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, for poaching
3 plum tomatoes—peeled, quartered and seeded
2 thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
Kosher salt
1/2 pound ditalini or other small-cut pasta (1 1/2 cups)
3 1/2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
1/2 cup soft fresh goat cheese (4 ounces)
1/4 cup tightly packed freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (2 1/2 ounces), plus more for serving
Freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons snipped chives
2 tablespoons finely shredded basil leaves
In a medium saucepan, combine the olive oil with the tomatoes, thyme, bay leaf and half of the garlic and bring to a simmer. Cook over low heat until the tomatoes are very tender, about 15 minutes. Discard the thyme and bay leaf. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the tomatoes to a work surface and coarsely chop them; reserve the olive oil for another use.
In a deep saute pan, melt the butter. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, 5 minutes. Add the pasta and cook, stirring, until golden in spots, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining garlic; cook for 1 minute.
Add 1/2 cup of the chicken stock to the pasta and cook over moderately high heat, stirring constantly, until nearly absorbed. Continue adding the chicken stock, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring and cooking until it is nearly absorbed between additions. The pasta is done when it is al dente and suspended in a lightly thickened sauce, about 17 minutes total.
Stir the tomatoes into the pasta. Off the heat, add the goat cheese and Parmigiano-Reggiano and stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper, stir in the chives and basil and serve right away, passing additional Parmigiano-Reggiano at the table.
Anyhow, back to the dish. I just tried it tonight and it was simply delicious. What is wonderful about it is that the effect is much like risotto - creamy, delicate - but the mouth feel is more substantial. I did not add the full 1/2 cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano as the recipe called for, putting in just a scant 1/4 cup instead. I figured that the goat cheese added enough cream, and it did. Do the full version if you wish.
This recipe can be found at Foodandwine.com (search creamy pasta and you will find the exact same recipe there, minus my reduction of Parmigiano-Reggiano used and suggested pan for cooking). It is supposed to yield 4 servings, but we think it serves only 2 to 3 hungry mouths as a main course. (There were two of us and we had barely any leftovers!)
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, for poaching
3 plum tomatoes—peeled, quartered and seeded
2 thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
Kosher salt
1/2 pound ditalini or other small-cut pasta (1 1/2 cups)
3 1/2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
1/2 cup soft fresh goat cheese (4 ounces)
1/4 cup tightly packed freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (2 1/2 ounces), plus more for serving
Freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons snipped chives
2 tablespoons finely shredded basil leaves
In a medium saucepan, combine the olive oil with the tomatoes, thyme, bay leaf and half of the garlic and bring to a simmer. Cook over low heat until the tomatoes are very tender, about 15 minutes. Discard the thyme and bay leaf. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the tomatoes to a work surface and coarsely chop them; reserve the olive oil for another use.
In a deep saute pan, melt the butter. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, 5 minutes. Add the pasta and cook, stirring, until golden in spots, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining garlic; cook for 1 minute.
Add 1/2 cup of the chicken stock to the pasta and cook over moderately high heat, stirring constantly, until nearly absorbed. Continue adding the chicken stock, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring and cooking until it is nearly absorbed between additions. The pasta is done when it is al dente and suspended in a lightly thickened sauce, about 17 minutes total.
Stir the tomatoes into the pasta. Off the heat, add the goat cheese and Parmigiano-Reggiano and stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper, stir in the chives and basil and serve right away, passing additional Parmigiano-Reggiano at the table.
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