I originally had something else planned as my first recipe back, but after making this for lunch the kids and I agreed that it was something special. This one-pot-wonder is a pasta dish made with ditalini pasta, but cooked in the style of a risotto. Without a real Italian designation for a recipe like this, I'm calling is a pastotto. Not a real word, I know, but a REALLY delicious meal. All you need are a few pantry and fridge staples and about 30 minutes and you've got one tasty, totally customizable dish.
Any season of the year, this is a bowl of goodness
It all starts with ditalini pasta. If you've made pasta e fagioli (there's a great recipe for it here) then you know ditalini. Italian for "little thimbles", ditalini are tiny little tubes that are great in soup, pasta salads, and even macaroni and cheese. It's cooked just like a risotto, beginning with onion sautéed in butter, but this time with the addition of crushed Calabrian chilis for a little heat and a whole lot of flavor. You can find Calabrian chilis in the Italian foods section of most grocery stores, or at World Market, or even online. They pack a punch in small doses and a gentle hand is advised if you're trying them for the first time. We love to add them to everything from hummus to scrambled eggs to mayonnaise on a chicken sandwich.
The dynamic duo of this delicious recipe
The whole thing comes together in a single large skillet (although you'll need to use a saucepan to heat your stock, so technically you'll have to wash TWO pots, but the one with the stock is barely even dirty and will only need a quick rinse). I added fresh arugula and lemon zest to give it a summery flavor, but you could add any of your favorite pasta or risotto mix-ins to truly customize it. I'm thinking sautéed mushrooms and pancetta would be yummy, or maybe sundried tomatoes and fresh basil pesto, or even pulled rotisserie chicken and jarred roasted red peppers. So many ideas, so little time.
Definitely greater than the sum of its parts
The best part about this recipe is that it gets glossy and creamy without any cream. The starch in the pasta combined with some freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano and a little elbow grease from steady stirring is all it takes to make a silky sauce. For lunch or dinner (or if you're anything like me, breakfast the next day), it's a simple, delicious meal.
Ditalini Pastotto with Chilis. Arugula and Lemon (serves 4-6)
Ingredients:
1 lb ditalini pasta
6 cups chicken stock, heated and kept warm
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp garlic infused olive oil (recipe below, you'll need 4 cloves of garlic and 1/4 cup olive oil)
1/2 cup diced onion
1 cup prosecco or other dry white wine
1 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. plus extra for serving
zest of one lemon
2 handfuls fresh arugula (about 2 tightly packed cups)
Method:
Make garlic infused olive oil by adding 4 peeled and gently bruised cloves of garlic to 1/4 cup olive oil. Microwave for 30 seconds, then stir. Microwave for 30 seconds more and let it hang out for at least 10 minutes to infuse the oil.
Add butter and 1 tablespoon of the garlic oil to a large skillet, and heat over medium heat (you can reserve the rest). When butter is melted, add onions and chilis to the pan and sautée until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Deglaze with prosecco and reduce until liquid is halved, about 5 minutes. Remove garlic cloves from the olive oil and add to the warm chicken stock.
Add pasta and 2 cups of warmed stock (making sure not to get any of the garlic cloves) and stir well. Keep stirring gently until most of the liquid is absorbed. Add additional stock 1 cup at a time until liquid is absorbed and the pasts is al dente, about 12 minutes. You'll use about 5 cups of stock at this point. Remove the garlic from the stock (it should be really soft and mild), chop it and add to the pasta.
Remove from heat and add cheese, lemon zest and arugula. Season with salt and pepper. Add more stock as needed to make the sauce glossy. Serve with additional cheese and arugula on top.
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