Pasta

This rich, delicious dish is my twist on classic pasta carbonara. But instead of raw eggs, I prepare it with onsen tamago, which I think makes it more interesting. What’s onsen tamago? It literally translates to “hot spring eggs,” which means the egg whites are soft and still runny, but the yolks have a creamy consistency, resembling soft-boiled eggs. It is a standard breakfast treat at the countless hot springs that dot Japan. Since I was young I’ve loved eggs cooked this way. The keys to preparing them are timing and temperature—both have to be exact. Also, the raw egg has to be cold, so be sure to keep the eggs in the refrigerator until the moment you’re ready to cook.

The secret to this cool, summertime dish? Steaming the chicken. When you steam chicken, it stays moist and juicy even if you serve it cold. And caramelizing the skin beforehand adds lots of wonderful flavor. These are both techniques I borrow from Chinese cuisine. The angel hair pasta in this dish plays the same role as somen noodles: not too chewy or overwhelming when enjoyed cold.

This is the master recipe for egg pasta to accompany three dishes in the book: Squid-Ink Pasta with Crabmeat-Stuffed Squid (page 124), Fresh Egg Pasta with Seared Lamb (page 109), and Fresh Egg Pasta with Pork Loin (page 128). Adding squid ink to this recipe turns the pasta almost black and makes a dramatic presentation. It adds a subtle ocean flavor to a dish that’s absolutely sublime. I first started preparing squid-ink pasta at Ambria Restaurant, the legendary Chicago fine dining restaurant where I cooked for nine years.

This is my wife, Kathy, and my “S.O.S.” dish—the one we rely on when we have to whip up something fast and elegant with minimal cooking. You can prepare this recipe in about 20 minutes, but you won’t skimp on taste: with mushrooms, Dijon, tuna, and chives, there are layers of wonderful flavor here, and the richness of the dish complements the cold pasta.

Like many recipes of humble country origins, there is no carved-in-stone recipe for minestrone, the iconic Italian vegetable soup. Mamas from both sides of the Atlantic have used fresh seasonal vegetables with a bit of hambone or cheese rind to prepare soulful, satisfying soups. We’ve long known that this combination tastes good. Now we have a name for why it does: umami. The Japanese term umami is now familiar to culinary professionals, chefs, and informed foodies, yet Asian cooks have appreciated the taste for centuries. It is the fifth taste after sour, salty, bitter, and sweet. Scientifically, umami is the distinctive flavor of amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein. Think about classic Caesar salad dressing, a combination of egg protein and salted anchovies. Or old-fashioned greens simmered with ham. Or this soup, in which the rind of the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese complements the vegetables in the tomato broth.

Many Northern macaroni-and-cheese recipes use a béchamel sauce to coat tender elbow noodles, but the only time most Southerners put flour in a skillet is to make gravy—certainly not for a white sauce for macaroni. Our recipes are often simple combinations of pasta, eggs, butter, milk, and cheese. My Aunt Lee often prepares this dish. When I asked her about her recipe, she replied, “I just mix it all up in the dish until it looks right.” I had to coax a little more instruction out of her to share it with you here.

Jill and I fell in love with Moroccan food while we were studying in France and had to include a dish with those amazing flavors. The cinnamon, curry, and raisins that are commonly found in Moroccan cooking combine to give this stew an unexpected depth. When all the flavors are cooked together and served over the couscous it’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

Lasagna is one of those dishes that sounds difficult even though it’s not. This version is particularly easy to put together because we use no-boil noodles (which are a little thinner than the normal kind) and jarred sauce, and it’s still excellent. If you like your lasagna a little spicier, you can use hot Italian sausage. Just serve this with some warm bread and you’re there.

Cacciatore is an Italian word that refers to the rustic cooking style, where the meat is cooked right along with the vegetables. This is a cheap, easy, and incredibly tasty way to feed a lot of people. The chicken can be made completely ahead of time and heated up just prior to serving. Then all you have to do is cook the spaghetti, heat up a loaf of crusty bread, and you are good to go.

Chicken Parmesan is one of my favorite Italian dishes and my mom makes the best ever. It’s the perfect combination of crunchy chicken and cheesiness, and because it’s made in the oven, there’s no oil mess on the stove. You may want to make extra because it’s so good left over.

You can serve this salad as a side dish, but it’s so packed with stuff that it can easily be a meal. I love this kind of dish because I can have it as a meal one day and then snack on the leftovers for a few days (right out of the container, of course).

This is another dish that you can easily adjust to suit your tastes. You can use any vegetables you like. When your budget is squeaking tight, make it with just peas and carrots. But when you have a little more wiggle room, try it with red peppers, zucchini, and sugar snap peas.

You’re in college now so it’s time to break away from boxed mac ’n’ cheese and try the real thing. It’s not hard to make and once you realize how creamy and cheesy the homemade version tastes, you’ll never go back to that boxed stuff. We added ham to this dish, but you could make it without the ham or with cooked chicken or broccoli. Hey, don’t knock it ‘til you’ve tried it. Who doesn’t love cheesy broccoli?

Okay, I know this isn’t authentic carbonara, but eliminating the cream cuts the calories and reduces the cost. As long as it still has that exquisite bacon and Parmesan cheese flavor, I’m all for fewer calories and less money. This is another super simple recipe with generous portions that reheat well.

I created this recipe when I was living in France, where they use a lot of couscous. Since I love peppers I started experimenting with different combinations and found that there really is no bad combination. You can use any vegetables and even throw in some cooked meat, if you have some that needs to be used up.

Although we college kids are known for our love of pasta because it’s cheap and easy to make, that doesn’t mean it can’t also taste great and be low in calories. This dish is a perfect example of that. Shrimp Linguine Marinara tastes like an extravagant indulgence, but it’s only about 400 calories per serving.

Here is another super simple dish that can be made in the time it takes to cook the pasta. You can use any type of pasta in this dish so feel free to swing out. I’ve used all different shapes, but my favorite was the pasta shaped like the state of Texas. It was so weird I had to buy it.

As one of my all-time favorite dishes, I make this recipe all the time. It’s best with fresh mushrooms, but I will admit that if I don’t have any in the refrigerator (or if I’m feeling particularly lazy), I will make this with canned mushrooms and it’s still yummy. When your friends think you’ve created a masterpiece, remember you don’t have to tell them how easy it was.

When I first started college, I was a total pastaholic, not only because it’s cheap and you just have to boil water, but because it’s so darn good. This is one of my favorite versions. With pasta, Italian sausage, and melted mozzarella, who wouldn’t love it. This dish makes a lot, but that’s okay because it’s also excellent reheated.

Real chicken Tetrazzini combines pasta and chicken in a sauce made with sherry and Parmesan cheese. It should come as no surprise that I have opted for an easier version that uses canned soup and can be made very quickly. Even though it serves four, I sometimes make it just for myself because it’s super tasty and makes great leftovers.