Fusilli with Leeks and Hot Italian Sausage

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 leeks, white part only, thinly sliced

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, ground to a powder

salt and freshly ground pepper

3/4 cup dry wine wine

1 cup chicken stock

1 pound hot italian sausage, casings removed and crumbled

splash of sherry vinegar

1 pound fusilli

1/3 cup coarsely chopped parsley

1 1/4 cup pecorino romano cheese

In a large saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the leeks, ground fennel seed, and salt and pepper to taste (about 1/2 teaspoon salt). Saute until the leeks begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and cook until reduced by half. Add the chicken stock, cove, and cook 10 minutes.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, warm the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a heavy frying pan over medium high heat. Add the sausage, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook until well browned, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour off most of the fat and add a splash of sherry vinegar.

Cook the pasta until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving about a cup of the cooking water.

Add the sausage to the saute pan with the leeks and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Add the pasta and about 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking water. Add additional cooking water if it seems dry. Adjust the seasoning. Transfer to a large shallow bowl. Add a generous drizzle of olive oil, the parsley, and romano cheese and stir to combine.

Makes about 6 servings.

Cajun Mac and Cheese

This is so easy and delicious. The most time-consuming part is chopping the scallions and peppers, but it's worth a bit of chopping. We love this. My version of this recipe is based on one from Food Network Magazine.

12 ounces wagon-wheel pasta

2 tablespoons olive oil

7-8 ounces uncured, cooked ham, cut into small cubes

2 bunches scallions, white and lighter green parts only, sliced

1 red bell pepper, finely chopped

1 green bell pepper, finely chopped

1 tablespoon cajun spice blend

2 tablespoons flour

2 cups whole milk

8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ham and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes. Stir in the scallions and peppers and cook until vegetables are slightly soft, about 3 minutes. Add the cajun seasoning and flour, stirring for 2 more minutes. Gradually stir in the milk and continue to stir until the sauce is thick and smooth, about 5 minutes more.

Add the pasta, cheese, and about 3/4 cup of the cooking water to the sauce. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, tossing to coat the pasta in the sauce and melt the cheese, about a minute or two.

Makes about 4 large servings.

BLT Pasta

The first time I made this, it was good. Tonight was the second time I made it and with a few adjustments, it was great. Th
is recipe is my version of a recipe from Food Network Magazine.

12 ounces penne

6 ounces applewood smoked bacon, chopped

1 red onion, chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

3 pints grape tomatoes

1/2 cup heavy cream

4 cups arugula

1/2 cup asiago cheese, finely grated

Cook the penne in salted water until al dente. Reserve about a cup of the cooking liquid. Drain.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon over medium heat until just crisp. Drain the bacon on paper towels and reserve 3 tablespoons of the drippings. In a large saute pan, heat the 3 tablespoons bacon drippings over medium high heat and saute the onion about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic. Saute 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and cook for about 12 minutes stirring often. Add the cream and cook for 2 minutes stirring constantly. Add the pasta, bacon, and 1/4 - 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking liquid. Stir in the arugula until it is wilted. Stir in the asiago cheese. Remove from heat and serve. Serve with additional grated asiago cheese. Makes about 4 servings.

Cacio e Pepe

This recipe is from the May 2011 bon appetit. I basically followed the original recipe except that I found I needed much more of the pasta water than the recipe called for and I couldn't get Grana Padano at my grocery store, so I used parmesan instead. I also added 2 ounces of pasta so it was half the package (easier to measure) and so we could give some to Camille, who actually ate some.

Here's how I made it:

8 ounces bucatini pasta (it's a thick spaghetti)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper

3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/3 cup grated pecorino romano cheese

Bring about 3 quarts of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook 2 minutes less than the cooking time specified on the package. Drain, reserving 1 1/2 cups of the pasta cooking water.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add pepper and cook swirling pan until toasted, about 1 minute.

Add about 1 cup of the pasta water to the skillet and bring to a simmer. Add pasta and remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Reduce heat to low and add the parmesan cheese, stirring and tossing with tongs until melted. Remove from heat. Add pecorino romano cheese stirring and tossing until the cheese melts and the sauce coats the pasta. Add more pasta water if the sauce seems dry. Makes 2 large servings.

Rigatoni with Salami, Mozzarella, and Basil

I make this pasta dish frequently. I can have it prepared and on the table within 30 minutes, David and I really like it, and more often than not Camille consumed a very good portion for a toddler who resists eating and growing. Funny how I have started to measure my success as a cook by whether Camille eats my food and how much she consumes.

Very few of my recipes are completely made up by me. Like most, I adapted an existing recipe to be something that I really like. This recipe is based on one from Pasta: William Sonoma Collection

and can be viewed online. Here's my recipe:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

8 cloves of garlic, minced

2 28-ounce cans plum (roma) tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped

1/4 pound chunk salami, such as soppressata, cut into small cubes

generous splash of dry white wine

1 pound rigatoni

salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 pound mozzarella pearls (small mozzarella balls)

1 large bunch of fresh basil, coarsely chopped

1 cup grated pecorino romano cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente. Meanwhile in a large saute pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the garlic and saute about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes. Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the salami. Cook until the tomatoes begin to release their liquid, about 4-5 minutes. Add about 1/2 teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Add the white wine and let it boil away for about 5 minutes, until the tomato juices have thickened slightly. Remove from heat.

Drain the pasta well, add it to the tomato mixture, and toss. Transfer to a large shallow bowl. Add the basil, a generous drizzle of olive oil, and about 2/3 cup of the grated romano cheese and toss again. Add the mozzarella pearls, toss again, and serve immediately. Pass the remaining grated romano cheese at the table. Makes 4-6 servings.