Tag: pasta

Seafood Fettuccine

The next time you enjoy a plate of Fettuccine Alfredo, thank Alfredo Di Lelio who created this Italian classic for customers at his restaurant in Rome. Like many works of genius, Fettuccine Alfredo is remarkably simple: Make a sauce of butter, cream, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper and mix with cooked fettuccine noodles.

Versions of this simple recipe are available in restaurants around the world. I have enjoyed Fettuccine Alfredo in many of them, and some versions were better than others, but I have never found one that I did not like–clearly not the observation of a gourmet but a statement of fact.

Here is a really simple way to make Fettuccine Alfredo with imitation seafood that we (and lots of friends) think tastes pretty good. A real chef might frown at this recipe, since the sauce ingredients are mixed directly with the pasta rather than being cooked separately and added to the noodles just before serving. A lazy cook like me, however, appreciates the fact that the way I make this dish takes less time and uses one less pan than the traditional method.

Since many versions of Fettuccine Alfredo were too rich for my tastes, I reduced the amount of butter and used half and half instead of whipping cream. We like the results and hope that you try it.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black or white Pepper
2 cups half and half
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus more to pass at table
12 ounce package Imitation crab or lobster
12 ounce package fettuccine

PROCEDURE:

Bring the butter to room temperature. Put the water on to boil in a large pot for the fettuccine. Break or cut the seafood into bite size pieces and grate the cheese. If you like, this is a good time to make a simple garden salad or get the vegetables ready.

Warm the half and half in a measuring cup in the microwave. Cook the fettuccine just barely to al dente, following the directions on the package. Drain and return it to the pot and add the butter. Turn the heat to very low and stir the pasta to melt the butter and coat the noodles. Add the half and half and continue stirring.

Stir in the Parmesan cheese, add the imitation seafood pieces, salt and pepper and continue stirring for a minute to mix with the sauce and make certain everything is warm. If the sauce is too thick, add some milk or half and half. Check the seasoning and adjust if necessary.

Serve with a garden salad, crusty bread and butter and a light white wine. Steamed broccoli or green beans also go well as a vegetable with this dish. Pass the Parmesan grater so guests may add a little more cheese if they want.

It’s not fancy, but it’s good. And only one pot!

NOTE: It is vital that the Parmesan cheese be freshly grated. Period. The coarsely grated Parmesan sold in the refrigerated section of your local supermarket might be okay, but I have not tried it. Since we generally have imitation seafood in the freezer, I defrost it in the microwave while the pasta is cooking. Try to have it at or near room temperature when you add it to the noodles.

VARIATIONS: Use shrimp instead of or in addition to the imitation seafood.

Couscous Pilaf

Couscous is a kind of pasta made from semolina, the hard wheat flour used to make spaghetti, rotini, linguine, vermicelli, penne, cannelloni and all the other varieties of pasta invented by talented Italian mothers, grandmothers and chefs. According to food historians, couscous was invented by the Berbers in North Africa more than eight hundred years ago. It’s made by rolling semolina flour which has been moistened with water into small pellets. The pellets are then dried and stored until needed when they are cooked by steaming.

Today, most of the couscous in our supermarkets is “instant” couscous which has already been steamed and dried so all you need do is add hot water or broth to create a tasty side dish in just a few minutes. However, there are at least two other varieties of couscous which require longer cooking. Israeli couscous, made with pellets the size of peppercorns, and Lebanese couscous with pellets about the size of early green peas are cooked like pasta to al dente in water or broth.

You can often find these larger varieties of couscous in the specialty food department of your local supermarket or an organic food store, and of course they are also available from online merchants.

The couscous salad that we enjoy so much in the summer is made with “instant” couscous. This couscous pilaf is made with Israeli couscous. It goes very well with Savory Pork Chops With Fennel.

INGREDIENTS:

1 T olive oil
1 T butter
1 small onion (about 1 1/2 or 2 inch diameter)
3/4 tsp. cumin
Dash or two of cayenne pepper
2/3 cup Israeli couscous
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 T chopped parsley

PROCEDURE:

Peel and chop the onion into a quarter inch dice. Wash and coarsely chop the parsley.

Put 2 1/2 cups of cold water in a medium saucepan. While the water is coming to a boil, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat in a large covered saucepan. Add the chopped onion and cook it slowly for six to eight minutes until it is a soft gold color.

Stir in the cumin and cayenne pepper and cook for another minute to blend the flavors. Stir in the couscous, salt, pepper and boiling water. Cover the pan, turn the heat to low and simmer the couscous for about ten minutes, stirring once or twice. Simmer a little longer if the water is not all absorbed. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Stir in the parsley just before serving.