Linguine with Red Clam Sauce

From The North End Italian Cookbook

3 10-ounce cans of clams
1/4 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 28-ounce can plum tomatoes, undrained
1 teaspoon each oregano and red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
1 pound thin linguine
butter (optional)
grated Parmesan (optional)

1. Bring large pot of salted water to boil for cooking linguine.
2. Drain clams, reserving liquid.
3. Heat oil in a heavy, medium-sized skillet (preferably cast iron). Add garlic and saute until tender.
4. Place tomatoes in bowl and, with a fork, squeeze the pulp into the juice.
5. Add tomatoes and liquid to skillet and simmer over medium-high heat for 10 minutes.
6. Add salt and pepper, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Stir often with a wooden spoon.
7. Add clams and enough clam broth to make a pink sauce.
8. Adjust seasonings and cook for 5 minutes longer; remove from heat and reserve.
9. Cook linguine in boiling water, drain and put in a warm bowl.
10. Toss with a pat of butter (optional).
11. Cover linguine with some of the sauce and toss gently, adding salt and pepper if needed.
12. Serve immediately and pass remaining sauce and grated cheese at the table.

Serves 4-6

NOTE: I cut the recipe in half and use 2 6.5-ounce cans of clams.

Pasta e Fagoli

From Dom DeLuise's book Eat This: It Will Make You Feel Better

2 garlic cloves, minced
2 TBSP olive oil
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 cup water (I just measure this in the tomato sauce can)
1 16-ounce can cannellini beans (or any beans you want)
1/2 pound ditalini or elbow macaroni, cooked al dente (or any pasta you want)
1/4 cup chopped, fresh parsley for garnish
freshly grated Parmesan cheese to taste for garnish
hot pepper flakes (optional)

In sauce pan, fry garlic gently in oil until golden brown. Add tomato sauce and water; simmer for 10 minutes. Add beans, cook 5 minutes more. (My boys don't like beans, so I blend the water, the tomato sauce, and the drained beans in the blender to make the whole thing smooth.)

Add pasta; stir gently, continue to simmer until flavors have assimilated. If it gets too thick, add a little more water. Sprinkle with parsley, grated cheese and hot pepper flakes, if desired.

Serve immediately, or pasta will absorb all the liquid. DeLuise suggests serving with Italian bread, which he loves to dip in the sauce.

Cincinnati Chili

4 c. water
2 lbs. ground beef
2 medium onions, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 8 oz cans tomato sauce
2 TBSP vinegar
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tsp. salt
5 whole allspice
5 whole cloves
1/2 oz unsweetened baking chocolate
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. cayenne
1 tsp. cumin
4 TBSP chili powder
1 large bay leaf, whole

Add beef to water in 4-qt. Pot. Stir until beef separates into a fine texture. Boil slowly for 30 minutes. Add all other ingredients. Stir to blend, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 3 hours. To remove excess fat, refrigerate overnight covered. Lift off fat before reheating.
Freezes well.

Serve with oyster crackers and tobasco sauce. May be served
2-way: on top of cooked spaghetti
3-way: spaghetti, chili, grated cheddar
4-way: spaghetti, chili, cheddar, chopped onion
5-way: spaghetti, chili, cheddar, chopped onion, kidney beans

Recipe originally from The Cincinnati Enquirer

Sesame Noodles/Peanut Butter Pasta

1/3 c peanut butter
2 TBSP sesame oil
2 TBSP soy sauce
1/2 tsp cayenne (or to taste--1/2 tsp makes it pretty spicy!)
1/2 tsp sugar
1 lg clove garlic, minced
1 TBSP rice wine vinegar, or other vinegar
1/2 tsp minced fresh ginger

Mix all together and let sit--4 hours is good, but less is ok. Toss with 8-12 oz of hot cooked pasta--either Chinese noodles or thin spaghetti.

Easy Tuscan Pasta

3 TBSP olive oil
3/4 c. coarsely chopped carrot
1/2 onion, chopped
1 (28 oz) jar garlic and onion spaghetti sauce
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 (19 oz) can white beans, rinsed and drained
3 c. penne pasta, uncooked
chopped fresh parsley (optional)

In large skillet, over medium heat, saute carrot and onion in oil until tender. Add pasta sauce and crushed red pepper; heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes. Add beans and heat through.

Meanwhile, cook pasta to al dente; drain. Spoon sauce over hot pasta; sprinkle with parsley if desired.

Serves 6

Lizzytish's Honey Garlic Pasta

1 package (16 ounces) angel hair pasta
2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup butter, cubed
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a skillet, saute the garlic in butter. Stir in the honey, basil and thyme. Drain pasta; add to garlic mixture and toss to coat. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Yield: 8 servings

Quick Summer Supper

3 TBSP olive oil
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 large tomatoes, diced (or 15 oz. can with juice)
3 c. zucchini, chopped (about 3 small)
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp thyme
15 oz. can white beans
1/4 - 1/2 c. grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
1 lb pasta (bowtie pasta is good with this) cooked to al dente

Saute pepper in oil for about 5 minutes, adding garlic during last minute. Mix in tomatoes, zucchini and spices. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in beans and heat through. Toss with pasta and top with cheese.

Hoisin Chicken and Fried Noodles

1/2 c hoisin sauce
2 TBSP soy sauce or Tamari
3 TBSP rice wine vinegar or sake
2 TBSP sugar
2 TBSP ketchup
2 TBSP minced garlic
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp sesame oil

2 1/2 lbs chicken breasts

Pour sauce ingredients over chicken in baking pan and bake at 350 for 1 hour or until chicken tests done.

Fried Noodles: Cook 1 lb linguine to al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water. Heat electric skillet to 425 degrees F and add 1 tbsp oil. Add 1/2 of noodles, 1/2 cup of sauce from the baked chicken, and 2 tbsp Kikkoman stir fry sauce. Stir fry until noodles begin to crisp and are well coated with the now-thickened sauce. Repeat for remaining noodles.

NOTE: This recipe was inspired by a visit to a Japanese steak house. The original recipe does not call for ginger or sesame oil, and uses the sauce as a marinade before stir-frying the chicken. The noodles are not part of the original recipe. My method is easier and gets dinner on the table.