Scotto's Pasta Italiano--Technique & Recipes

This recipe and lesson came from Scotto, right before I convinced him to sign up! There are several Bad Girl Hints in here, so pay attention. Thanks, Scotto!


On New Years day I cooked 4 lbs of angel hair pasta. For those of
you that saw, the serving pot it was 3/4 full of water , somewhat salty
to taste, an important part of cooking pasta. This was hammered into
me when I spent 4 months in Italy. Also that Americans put Too much
sauce on their pasta . Also we (Americans ) tend not to oil (extra
virgin olive) or butter the pasta IMMEDIATELY and we get a sticky
mess. Between those three things (usually all three) I do not order
pasta in my homeland when out to dinner. I could criticize my New
Years pasta but I will hold back on that one.

So figure one pound for 4-5 hungry ones. The following recipe will be
for one pound of pasta.

For one pound of dry pasta I use about a gallon (4 quarts) of water in
a 5-6 quart pot. Add 2 Tablespoons of salt, (yes 2 Tablespoons).

Cappilinni (Angel hair) is easy to over cook - so be careful. 3-4
minutes I think. Go for al-dente or it turns into a "blob".

When done, melt butter and use or put olive oil IMMEDIATELY on the pasta. then
immediately add the sauce, parsley and toss again.


The Sauce:

Use 8 ounces of canned diced tomatoes. (my favorite is
Muir Glen fire roasted)

4 large cloves of garlic - smashed with the side of a large knife and chopped.

Hot chile peppers(crushed like the kind you will find in pizza joints) to taste ( maybe a teaspoon.
depends on the heat of the pepper)

Olive oil or Butter

Good Salt (I use Real Salt for the sauce and just plain sea salt for the pasta
water).

Cook the 4 large cloves of "smooshed and chopped" garlic and the hot
peppers in olive oil in a pan at LOW heat and when the garlic is ABOUT
to brown add 1/2 the tomatoes. Get back to temp and add the other
half. Add then a Pinch of "Real Salt". Garlic press another clove (or
even a 1/2 clove) onto the cooked hot pasta (that you have drizzled
and tossed with butter or olive oil), add sauce and chopped parsley
and toss again.

Notice , no cheese, un-American isn't it. If you must, small bits of
grated romano or parma might not kill it.


Another make life simple trick for pasta, is to put chile peppers
and chopped garlic (fresh basil in season too) in olive oil in the
pantry or fridge and just pour on pasta, straining the herbs. Real
fast and real good.