Indulge in a symphony of flavors with Midnight Pasta, a culinary masterpiece that tantalizes the taste buds with its harmonious blend of garlic, anchovies, capers, and red pepper. Embark on a culinary journey as we unveil the secrets behind this delectable dish, exploring variations such as Pasta Puttanesca, Spaghetti Aglio e Olio, and Pasta al Limone. Discover the art of balancing bold and subtle flavors, creating a pasta dish that lingers in the memory long after the last bite.
**Midnight Pasta:** Garlic, anchovies, capers, and red pepper unite in this classic Italian dish, resulting in a savory and aromatic sauce that coats al dente pasta.
**Pasta Puttanesca:** A vibrant and flavorful pasta dish originating from Naples, Italy. This recipe features a combination of tomatoes, olives, capers, anchovies, and garlic, creating a robust and tangy sauce.
**Spaghetti Aglio e Olio:** A simple yet elegant pasta dish that showcases the purity of fresh garlic and olive oil. With the addition of red pepper flakes, this dish delivers a subtle heat that elevates its overall flavor profile.
**Pasta al Limone:** A refreshing and zesty pasta dish that celebrates the bright and citrusy notes of lemon. This recipe incorporates lemon zest, juice, and cream, resulting in a light and flavorful sauce that pairs perfectly with al dente pasta.
Prepare to embark on a culinary adventure as we delve into the intricacies of Midnight Pasta and its captivating variations. Discover the magic of transforming simple ingredients into extraordinary dishes, leaving your taste buds craving for more.
SPAGHETTI AGLIO E OLIO
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons of salt and the pasta and cook according to the directions on the package. Set aside 1 1/2 cups of the pasta cooking water before you drain the pasta.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a pot large enough to hold the pasta, such as a 12-inch saute pan or a large, shallow pot. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until it just begins to turn golden on the edges-don't overcook it! Add the red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds more. Carefully add the reserved pasta-cooking water to the garlic and oil and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, add 1 teaspoon of salt, and simmer for about 5 minutes, until the liquid is reduced by about a third.
- Add the drained pasta to the garlic sauce and toss. Off the heat, add the parsley and Parmesan and toss well. Allow the pasta to rest off the heat for 5 minutes for the sauce to be absorbed. Taste for seasoning and serve warm with extra Parmesan on the side.
ANCHOVY PASTA WITH GARLIC BREADCRUMBS
Memorize how to make the addictively crunchy breadcrumbs in this dish; use them to top all your pasta recipes forevermore.
Provided by Claire Saffitz
Categories Bon Appétit Pasta Dinner Anchovy Breadcrumbs Garlic Lemon Chile Pepper Cheese
Yield Serves 4
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Very thinly slice 4 garlic cloves (a mandoline works great) and set aside. Pulse remaining 4 garlic cloves in a food processor until finely chopped. Add bread and lemon zest and pulse until coarse crumbs form; season with salt and pepper.
- Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium. Cook breadcrumb mixture, stirring often, until golden brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer breadcrumb mixture with a slotted spoon to a small bowl.
- Heat remaining 3 Tbsp. oil in same pot over medium-low. Cook reserved sliced garlic, stirring occasionally, until golden at edges, about 1 minute. Add anchovies and chiles and cook, stirring, until anchovies are dissolved, about 1 minute. Stir in lemon juice.
- Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente, about 3 minutes less than package directions.
- Using tongs, transfer pasta to pot with sauce along with 1 cup pasta cooking liquid. Cook, tossing often, until pasta is al dente. Add 3 Tbsp. pasta cooking liquid, then gradually add cheese, tossing until melted and emulsified. Remove from heat, add parsley, butter, and half of breadcrumb mixture and toss until combined and butter is melted. If pasta seems dry, add more pasta cooking liquid and oil and toss again. Season with salt and pepper, and more lemon juice if desired.
- Divide pasta among bowls. Top with remaining breadcrumb mixture.
MIDNIGHT PASTA WITH ANCHOVIES, GARLIC AND TOMATO
Tomato paste gives this speedy midnight pasta, studded with anchovy and garlic, its color and umami. If you're not an anchovy fan, you can substitute a few tablespoons of chopped capers or olives. Be generous when adding the pasta water to the pan. The mixture should look soupy at first, but the sauce will thicken up as you toss.
Provided by Melissa Clark
Categories pastas, main course
Time 25m
Yield 2 servings
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat. Add pasta and cook, according to package directions, until about 2 minutes shy of al dente so the pasta can finish cooking in the sauce. It should still have a slight crunch in the center. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
- While the pasta is cooking, in a large skillet, combine the oil, garlic, anchovies (if using), red-pepper flakes and pinch of salt over low heat. Cook until garlic is opaque and a few of the slices are pale gold at the edges (don't let the garlic turn brown), 2 to 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook until it darkens, about 1 minute longer.
- Add the drained pasta, lemon zest and 1/3 cup of the reserved pasta water to skillet. Stir until the pasta is al dente and well coated with sauce. Add more pasta water, if needed, until the sauce is glossy and the pasta cooked to taste.
- Cut the zested lemon half in half (so you'll have a quarter of a lemon) and squeeze some juice into pasta. Stir in herbs and taste, adding more lemon juice and salt, if needed. Cut remaining lemon into wedges and serve it alongside the pasta, which should be garnished with more herbs and red-pepper flakes, a drizzle of oil and a generous sprinkle of cheese, if you like.
PASTA WITH CARAMELIZED PEPPERS, ANCHOVIES AND RICOTTA
Caramelized slivers of soft bell peppers and whole cloves of garlic serve as the sweet vegetable-based sauce for this summery pasta. The ricotta gives everything creaminess and body, while herbs and scallions lend freshness, and anchovies depth. If you have an open bottle of wine on hand, you can add a splash to deglaze the tasty browned bits on the bottom of the pan. But don't bother opening something new: A little water or dry vermouth does the trick nearly as well.
Provided by Melissa Clark
Categories weekday, pastas, main course
Time 30m
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook, according to package instructions, until the pasta is just al dente.
- As pasta cooks, heat a large sauté pan over medium-high, and add 3 tablespoons olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the anchovies and rosemary, and sauté until the anchovies start to dissolve, about 1 minute. Add the garlic and red-pepper flakes, and sauté until the garlic turns pale golden in spots, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the bell peppers and a large pinch of salt to the pan, and sauté until the bell peppers are very soft and well caramelized, 10 to 15 minutes, lowering the heat if the peppers start becoming too dark. Add the wine (or water) and the butter, and sauté, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Taste and season with lemon juice and more salt as needed.
- Put 1/4 cup ricotta and the scallions in a large serving bowl, and season aggressively with black pepper.
- Use a coffee mug or measuring cup to scoop about 1/2 cup pasta water from the pot. Drain the pasta, then add it to the bowl with the ricotta and scallions, tossing well. Add the bell pepper mixture and the herbs, and toss well, adding a splash or two of pasta water if the mixture looks dry. Taste and season with more salt if needed.
- Spoon pasta into bowls, and top with dollops of the remaining 1/4 cup ricotta, a drizzle of oil and a little Parmesan, if you like. Shower torn herb leaves over all.
RED PEPPER & ANCHOVY SPAGHETTI
Make the most of anchovies by combining them with red peppers in this speedy pasta dish. The sweetness of the peppers complements the umami anchovies so well
Provided by Rosie Mackean
Categories Dinner
Time 11m
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, then stir in the spaghetti. Cook for 1 min less than the pack instructions. Tip the oil, garlic, anchovies and chilli flakes into another saucepan or a high-sided frying pan set over a medium heat. Cook for about 1 min, until the oil is hot and the garlic has started to sizzle slightly.
- Add the roasted peppers and tomato purée. Stir well. Continue to cook the anchovy and pepper mixture until the spaghetti is ready, adding a ladleful of the pasta cooking water as it cooks to loosen it and make a sauce.
- When the spaghetti is ready, use tongs to transfer it directly from its cooking water to the sauce, adding a little more of the water to loosen if needed. Cook the spaghetti in the sauce for 30 seconds, tossing to coat, then remove from the heat and toss through the basil. Serve straightaway, drizzled with a little olive oil.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 787 calories, Fat 22 grams fat, SaturatedFat 3 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 119 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 5 grams sugar, Fiber 8 grams fiber, Protein 24 grams protein, Sodium 1.8 milligram of sodium
MIDNIGHT PASTA WITH ROASTED GARLIC, OLIVE OIL AND CHILE
This recipe is a version of aglio e olio pasta, which is often known as midnight pasta because it can be made quickly with a few pantry staples: garlic, olive oil, red-pepper flakes and pasta. This recipe takes a bit more time because it calls for roasting the garlic first, but doing so adds a complex, mellow flavor to the entire dish. If you're a planner, you could even roast a couple of heads of garlic in advance. (Roasted garlic will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks and in the freezer for up to two months.) Add whatever vegetables or proteins look good to you.
Provided by Ali Slagle
Categories dinner, pastas, main course
Time 1h
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut off the top 1/4 inch of the head of garlic to expose the top of the cloves, then place on a piece of foil, cut-side up. Sprinkle exposed cloves with salt, then drizzle with 1 teaspoon oil. Wrap the garlic in the foil and roast until soft and golden brown, 40 to 50 minutes.
- When you're ready to make the pasta, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Finely chop the parsley leaves. Add pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta.
- While the pasta cooks, in a large Dutch oven or skillet, heat the remaining 1/2 cup oil over medium heat. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves into the oil and cook, breaking them up with your spoon, until very fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the red-pepper flakes and a few generous grinds of pepper. Remove the pan from the heat to infuse the oil while the pasta finishes cooking.
- When the pasta's done, heat the garlic oil over medium, then add the cooked pasta, 1/2 cup reserved pasta water and the parsley, and simmer, tossing constantly and adding more pasta water as needed, until the pasta is glossed with sauce.
- Serve with more red-pepper flakes, black pepper and Parmesan.
Tips:
- Use high-quality ingredients: The better the ingredients, the better the pasta will be. Use fresh garlic, anchovies, capers, and red pepper flakes. You can also use a good quality olive oil.
- Don't overcrowd the pan: When cooking the pasta, make sure to use a large enough pan so that the pasta has plenty of room to move around. If you overcrowd the pan, the pasta will cook unevenly.
- Cook the pasta al dente: Al dente means "to the tooth" in Italian. It refers to the texture of pasta that is cooked through but still has a slight bite to it. To achieve al dente pasta, cook it for the amount of time specified on the package, minus one minute.
- Use the pasta water: Don't throw away the water that you cooked the pasta in! It's full of starch, which will help to thicken and flavor the sauce.
- Taste the sauce before serving: Make sure to taste the sauce before serving and adjust the seasonings as necessary. You may want to add more salt, pepper, or red pepper flakes.
Conclusion:
Midnight pasta is a quick and easy dish that is perfect for a weeknight meal. It's also a great way to use up leftover pasta. The combination of garlic, anchovies, capers, and red pepper flakes creates a flavorful and savory sauce that is sure to please everyone at the table. So next time you're looking for a quick and easy pasta dish, give midnight pasta a try!
Are you curently on diet or you just want to control your food's nutritions, ingredients? We will help you find recipes by cooking method, nutrition, ingredients...
Check it out »
You'll also love