Simple and effective, tasty and filling

Pasta with Onion and Garlic Sauce

This is a remarkably simple, yet finely elegant pasta dish. Subtle flavors abound in this dish, making it one of the most popular recipes in my repertoire. This has been a dish that my father and grandmother have been making as long as I can remember, and I know that the recipe itself originated many years before my family came to the United States. There are many variations on this recipe, and I include a few here for you to try. Feel free to experiment with your own variations as well!

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 1½ pounds of pasta (I prefer either angel hair or bowtie, but any will work)
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil (my personal favorite is Fillippio Berio - available in any Italian market, as well as many supermarkets)
• 1 medium onion, halved and sliced
• 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
• Dash of basil, parsley or oregano, fresh or dried (I prefer fresh)
• Dash of salt

Directions

In a large pot, combine water and a dash of salt, and bring to a boil.

Cook pasta for 8-12 minutes, until it is al dente' (firm, but tender). You can check for perfectly cooked pasta by simply flinging a piece at the wall. If it sticks, it's perfect.

In a medium skillet, heat oil and add onion, garlic, basil, parsley, and oregano (save some of the basil, parsley and oregano for later)

Sautee onion and garlic until onion is limp, and garlic is lightly toasted. Do not let the onion brown, otherwise the sauce will have a burnt flavor to it.

Drain pasta, saving just a little of the water it was cooked in.

Add the remainder of the basil, parsley, and oregano, as well as the saved pasta water to the sauce, mix, and remove from heat.

In a large bowl, combine pasta and sauce, and serve hot.

You can also garnish the pasta with a little grated Parmesan or Romano cheese if desired.

Variant: Clam Sauce

When sautéing the onions and garlic, add one small can (approximately ¼ to ½ cup) of diced clams in salt water. Drain the clams before adding them to the sauce, yet save just a dash of the clam juice to add to the sauce.

Variant: Sautéed Chicken

Before cooking the pasta or sauce, take two chicken breasts, diced into approximately ½ inch squares, sauté in olive oil with salt, pepper, powdered garlic, and dried minced onion until the chicken is mostly cooked. Add to sauce, and finish cooking the chicken in the sauce.

Variant: Shrimp Sauce

Simply add ½ pound of fresh shrimp, cut into bite sized pieces to the sauce, and sauté until shrimp are cooked.

Variant: Anchovy and Whitefish sauce

Add one can of rolled anchovy fillets and ½ pound of flaked whitefish to the sauce, and cook as above.




Peppered Oranges

This is a highly versatile dish that can be served as an appetizer, dessert, breakfast, or even just a simple snack. Its quick preparation and simple recipe make it optimal for creating a gourmet taste in virtually no time at all. This recipe is great for people in a hurry, but still wish a fine snack.

Serves 2 (though this recipe is easily doubled or tripled)

Ingredients

• 2 fresh navel oranges
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Ground black pepper

Directions

Slice oranges into half moon shaped, flat slices, throwing away any pieces that are mostly peel

Arrange orange slices in a single layer on a dinner plate

Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with pepper

Serve immediately.



These are just a couple of excerpts from a cookbook I have been working on. If anyone is interested in a few more recipes, feel free to ask (and the cookbook isn't exclusively Italian - it also has general American cooking, a little bit of stylized UK cooking, Cajun, Maryland, TexMex, and full chapters on omelettes and mixed drinks).

Great recipes, obsidian. I want to try some of them

Interesting, I would have never thought to mix oranges and black pepper.
but it actually sounds good..I'll try it and let you know..

Also, you mentioned Maryland style cooking..
I had some "Maryland style crabcakes" at a restaurant in Long Beach, CA.
but one VERY important ingredient was missing, a spice mixture. Can you name it?

Originally posted by spacedoubt
Also, you mentioned Maryland style cooking..
I had some "Maryland style crabcakes" at a restaurant in Long Beach, CA.
but one VERY important ingredient was missing, a spice mixture. Can you name it?

Well, I live in Maryland (and have for most of my life). Of course I know the spice mixture. The most popular brand name for the mixture is Old Bay, but us true Maryland chefs have our own blends of crab seasoning.

mmm, mmm, mmm, sounds really tasty, i really should taste it when i FINALLY get off ats/bts next year!!!!

That is a must try for me! sounds Yum, not to keen on garlic but ill give it a try

That really does sound nice, mouth watering in fact lol..

Oni maybe we could try this together lol

yer to right! little bit of garlic but the pasta yum yum.

oni x x

Originally posted by obsidian468

Originally posted by spacedoubt
Also, you mentioned Maryland style cooking..
I had some "Maryland style crabcakes" at a restaurant in Long Beach, CA.
but one VERY important ingredient was missing, a spice mixture. Can you name it?

Well, I live in Maryland (and have for most of my life). Of course I know the spice mixture. The most popular brand name for the mixture is Old Bay, but us true Maryland chefs have our own blends of crab seasoning.

Just checking..!
I was born n raised in Maryland. I don't live there now.
But have had Maryland style crabcakes, in quite a few non-Maryland, places..And they always seem to get it wrong.

MY dad and I had a special blend as well, rock salt, cayenne, and a couple of other things..

now my mouth is watering..