In the United States, October is also known as National Italian American Heritage Month, National Pasta Month, and National Book Month. This traditional pasta recipe adapted from my Italian Recipes For Dummies book is the perfect way to celebrate.
Maltagliati means poorly cut, and this pasta is traditional in the Emilia Romagna region of Italy, where it is especially appreciated in fall and winter. When prepared and eaten properly as a part of a healthful lifestyle, pasta can be as good for you as it is delicious.
Here are some tips for doing it right:
Choose the Best Quality Pasta
Look for whole and minimally processed grains, low temperature drying for health and texture, and bronze or gold dyes for texture. Making pasta from scratch is also a great idea. You can control the ingredients and get some movement!
Cook until Al Dente
In addition to providing better flavor and texture, when pasta is cooked less it has a lower glycemic index and the more nutrients the pasta maintains.
Dress Pasta Properly
Avoid jarred and canned sauces with additives like sugar, sweeteners, and sodium. Choose a nutritious dressing like a fresh pesto and think about dressing the pasta with forms of protein, vegetables, and legumes. Good quality extra virgin olive oil coaxes out more nutrients and lowers its glycemic load.
Serving Size
A proper serving size is ½ cup dried pasta, which makes 1 to 1 ¼ cup of cooked pasta. This is why it’s a first course in Italy.
Eat with Others and Be Physically Active
Eating together and enjoying food communally contributes to better absorption of nutrients, improved digestion, and enhanced well-being. Stay active by incorporating pleasurable physical activities, such as taking a walk after a meal to stay happy and healthy.
Maltagliati con fagioli/Hand-Cut Pasta with Beans
PREP TIME: 40 MIN; COOK TIME: 10 MIN; YIELD: 4 SERVINGS
INGREDIENTS
* 1 recipe (roughly 1/2 pound) Basic Pasta Dough (refer to the recipes below)
* 1/2 cup Amy Riolo Selections or other good-quality extra virgin olive oil
* 1 garlic clove, peeled
* 1 sprig rosemary, whole
* 1 small onion, finely chopped
* 2 teaspoons tomato paste
* 1 cup cooked borlotti or cannellini beans (see Chapter 3)
* Unrefined sea salt
* Black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
* 2 cups baby kale, roughly chopped
* 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
DIRECTIONS
- Start with pasta dough that has rested for at least 20 minutes. Roll out pasta dough to form a rectangle about 12-inches long.
- Divide the dough into six balls and use a rolling pin to roll each ball out to approximately 24 inches long and -inch thickness or use a pasta machine according to directions.
- Cut the pieces in half width-wise to make two 12-inch-long rectangular pieces out of each.
- Cut the pasta with a knife or tear with your hands to obtain irregular shapes about 1-inch long. Place pieces in a single layer on floured cookie sheets until ready to cook.
- To make the sauce, heat 2 tablespoons EVOO in a large, wide saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, rosemary, and onion, and cook until the onion turns golden, stirring occasionally, approximately 5 minutes.
- Stir the tomato paste into the pan with a wooden spoon, allowing it to caramelize by cooking on the bottom. After the tomato paste begins to sizzle, thoroughly stir it into the other ingredients and add the beans and salt and pepper to taste.
- Add water to about 1 inch short of covering the beans, and increase heat to high.
- Bring to a boil, stir, and reduce heat to medium-low. Allow to simmer for 20 minutes, and then remove the rosemary and garlic. Carefully remove half of the soup with a ladle, and blend it until smooth in a blender or food processor. (Or use an immersion blender to slightly thicken the mixture right in the pot.)
- Return the mixture to the heat, and stir in the kale. If needed, add water until the mixture is a creamy, soup-like texture.
- Taste, and adjust salt and pepper. Increase heat to high, and after it boils, add the pasta pieces (or maltagliati) and cook for 5 minutes more, or until they are very tender.
- Garnish with additional EVOO and cheese, and serve.
TIP:
Making the beans in advance saves time with this dish. You could also make the pasta in advance and put everything together at the last minute. This dish is one of the few pasta dishes that tastes better the next day, so you could make the whole thing in advance. Just add additional liquid or vegetable stock, adjust seasoning, and reheat to serve.
Basic Pasta Dough
PREP TIME: 15 MIN
COOK TIME: 30 MIN RESTING TIME
YIELD: 4 SERVINGS (APPROXIMATELY 1/2 POUND)
INGREDIENTS
* 2 1/2 cups 00 (highly refined) flour or all-purpose flour, plus additional 1 cup for work surface
* 4 jumbo eggs (10 ounces total)
* 1 teaspoon salt
DIRECTIONS
- Place the flour in a mound on a clean, dry work surface. Make a hole in the center and break the eggs into the middle. Using a fork, carefully mix the eggs together and incorporate a little flour into the eggs at a time.
- Add the salt and mix well by hand to form a solid dough.
- Lightly flour the work surface and knead and fold the dough energetically until it forms a smooth ball; see Figure 9-1. Using your hands or a floured rolling pin, flatten out the dough to form a 10-inch diameter disk. Cover and set aside to rest for 30 minutes. Refer to recipe above for shaping.
