How to do Italian quickly without looking in a cookbook
Alfredo (Creamy sauce)
Cook up some noodles al dente in salted water at a rapid boil—fettuccine or whatever is in the pantry. Note: you don’t need as much water as you think.
Meanwhile, melt some butter in a saucepan (don’t burn) and whisk in some heavy cream. Let it reduce. Then grate in some Parmesan and stir until it coats a spoon and is smooth and glossy. Grind in some black pepper. Maybe a little salt. Taste. Throw in a few shavings of fresh nutmeg if you must but not necessary.
Throw the noodles into the sauce. You’ll want to drain them, but a little bit of pasta water is good.
Stir and serve in warm bowls (warm them by spooning some of the pasta water into the bowls for a few seconds then dump the warming water). Grate more Parmesan on top and watch an old Italian movie.
Lemon Alfredo: Fresh squeeze or two of Meyer lemon with finely-shaved lemon peel. Don’t go into the white pith. Yummy with cheese ravioli.
Wine Pairing: Cocca di Papa Pinot Grigio
Marinara (Tomato-y sauce)
Throw some good olive oil into a pan and add some chopped onions. Sauté until golden but not burned. Add some fine slivers of very fresh garlic and be sure not to let that burn. Burning is bad.
Add a can of good chopped tomatoes—San Marzano-style are nice. Add a big splash of red wine and let reduce a bit. Kosher or sea salt and fresh-ground pepper to taste. Red chili flake if you like heat. Cook on a medium-to-low flame and let reduce just a bit.
Cook your paste al dente, drain but leave a bit of the pasta water clinging to the noodles--this will be good for the sauce. Add some fresh-chopped green herbs to your taste—basil, Italian parsley, oregano—at the last minute so the herbs stay fresh and green.
Toss with the pasta. Dust with basil chiffonade (roll the leaves and slice with a sharp knife to make long, pretty strands) or sprinkle with chopped Italian parsley and a generous grating of fresh Parmesan.
Serve in warm bowls with a green salad in a simple olive oil vinaigrette on the side and warm, crusty bread. Make it for your Papa’s B-Day dinner.
Wine Pairing: Cocca di Papa Chianti
Pesto (herb-i-licious sauce)
Go to the farmer’s market and buy a couple of bunches of fresh, young, green basil, some pignoli (pine nuts) and good Parmesan cheese. Assume you have good Italian olive oil in your pantry.
Remove the bigger, tougher stems (little stems O.K.) and whir in your food processor (sharp metal blade). Pulse in the pignoli and drizzle in the olive oil ‘till it looks green and sauce-y. Add S&P to taste. Warm the pesto gently in a pan. Low heat.
Meanwhile, cook your pasta (you know how) until al dente. Watch and taste until it’s done the way you like it. Do not walk away and take a shower or check Facebook.
Toss your pasta into your pesto and marry. Serve into warm bowls and grate a generous fluffy cloud of Parmesan on top. Visit Alberto Tomba’s Official Web site.
Wine Pairing: Cocca di Papa Chianti