In 2001, while I was living in Sicily researching a cookbook project, I made a trip with some visiting Kiwi friends out to the island of Marettimo, the furthest of the three Aegadian islands, just off the west coast of Sicily. My new friend Toto, a Sicilian foodie of some repute, had insisted we visit this particular island just to taste a special pasta dish.
Tears had welled in his eyes as he told me that heaven awaited in a tiny restaurant overlooking a cliff on the tiny island of Marettimo. My life was not complete until I had tried it … it was a thing of marvel, prepared with the sweetest freshest local lobster. And onions, oh so many onions. That a grown man could be brought to tears by a dish of pasta was enough to convince me that we needed to make the trip.
Not many tourists visited Marettimo back then and there was no advertised accommodation on offer. Trip advisor didn't exist and neither did Airbnb. "Don't worry," Toto told me, before we left, "There's always someone who will put you up. Just go to the bar by the wharf and ask 'dove possiamo dormire per favore.'" I looked at him blankly.
"You need to ask at the bar where you can stay," he said. Grabbing a piece of paper he wrote the question down for me in Italian. I folded it and popped it safely in my wallet. When we arrived on the island, I unfolded my little piece of paper and handed it to the barman at the little bar which was, just as we'd been advised, a little way up from the wharf. He stepped outside and pointed to a house just up the road. We knocked on the door, presented the paper again and, without ado, were shown a clean bunkroom in the basement. In the absence of any common language, our would-be hostess took the paper, scrawled a figure on to it and passed it back. As I recall it was about 30 lire. We nodded happily.
Toto was right, this special pasta dish was something I won't ever forget. Whole halves of tiny sweet lobster in the shell, a rough-cut sauce with lots of sweet slow-cooked onion and sweet tomato, tossed in a tangle of perfectly cooked fettuccini noodles. It was utterly, incredibly, delicious. I headed to the kitchen with the owner, who spoke some English, to see how this magical dish went together (it's not a recipe I'm sharing here, as it breaks the bank with the amount of crayfish used). Right at the end, just before he mixed in the cooked pasta with the other ingredients, the chef started talking loudly and gesticulating wildly, there was a sense of urgency in his voice. It was obvious that this was the important thing I needed to know - beyond the lobster or the onions or the simple sauce that joined everything up: "E tutta una questione di pasta: non devi mai cuocere troppo." The owner looked at me. "In case you don't know this," he said, "It's all about the pasta. You must never, ever, overcook it."
When it comes down to it, this simple instruction is all you really need to know regardless of the pasta dish you are cooking. This, and choosing a good quality Italian dried pasta, preferably one that is bronze extruded.
Here are some simple, delicious pasta meals you can have on the table in a flash.
Popeye pappardelle
Ready in 20 mins
Serves 4
400g dried pappardelle (or use fettuccine or linguine)
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 fat cloves garlic, crushed
1 large onion, finely chopped
Zest of 1 large lemon, finely grated
¼ tsp chilli flakes
4 packed cups finely shredded silverbeet leaves, white stems removed, or 250g baby spinach
2 Tbsp water
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
TO FINISH
2 Tbsp lemon-infused olive oil, or boutique extra virgin olive oil
½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
3 Tbsp toasted pine nuts or almond slivers
120g crumbled feta or chevre
2 Tbsp lemon juice
Cook pasta in a pot of boiling water, checking it a minute or two less than the packet instructions specify (it's often too long).
While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and cook garlic, onion, lemon zest and chilli over a low heat until onion is soft but not brown (8 minutes). Add silverbeet or spinach and water, cover and cook until wilted.
While greens are wilting, once the pasta is cooked just to al dente, drain into a colander. Season silverbeet mixture to taste, then add pasta, lemon-infused olive oil, or boutique extra virgin olive oil, chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves, toasted pine nuts or almond slivers, crumbled feta or chevre. Gently toss to combine evenly, without breaking up the cheese too much. Transfer to a serving platter or bowls and drizzle with lemon juice to serve.
One-pot pasta puttanesca
Who would've thought you could create amazing pasta dishes by cooking the pasta in the same pot as its sauce? This method of cooking the pasta is one I often use for pasta dishes with wet sauces like this, as the flavour carries right through.
Ready in 30 minutes
Serves 6
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
60g can anchovies in oil
6 cloves garlic, crushed
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp chilli flakes
4 cups chicken stock
400g can chopped tomatoes
2 tsp salt
Ground black pepper, to taste
500g dried spaghetti or fettuccine
280-400g can tuna, drained and flaked
½ cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped
½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
¼ cup capers
Basil leaves, to garnish (optional)
Heat oil in a deep 16-20-cup capacity pot. Add anchovies, garlic, tomato paste and chilli flakes and fry gently, stirring to break up anchovies, for 2-3 minutes.
Add stock and tomatoes, season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Add pasta, mixing it into the sauce as it softens and stirring to prevent clumping. Bring back to a boil, stir again, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook, stirring often, until pasta is just al dente (check before time specified on packet directions).
Add tuna, olives, parsley and capers, reserving a little parsley for garnish. Lightly stir so as not to break up the tuna too much. Serve at once, garnished with extra parsley and basil, if desired.
Pasta with spring vegetables and lemony ricotta
The ricotta in this simple vegetable sauce gives it a wonderful unctuous texture. It tastes rich but actually is wonderfully light. If you fancy you can add in some crispy bacon or pancetta.
Ready in 25 mins
Serves 3-4
2 cups fresh or frozen shelled broad beans, or edamame or peas
250g dried pasta
1 head broccoli, cut into large florets and stems trimmed
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
4 zucchini, thinly sliced
Zest of 1 lemon, finely grated, plus extra to garnish
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp chilli flakes
2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ cup ricotta
¼ cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 Tbsp lemon juice, or more to taste
4 zucchini flowers, torn into large chunks, to garnish (optional)
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. If using fresh broad beans, add to pot and boil for 3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to scoop them out of the pot and into
a bowl of cold water. Remove and discard skins and set aside. If using frozen beans, edamame or peas, place in a bowl, cover with boiling water and leave to defrost for 1 minute. Drain, then remove and discard broad bean skins.
Add pasta to the boiling water and cook according to packet instructions checking it a minute or two less than the packet instructions specify. Drain, reserving ½ cup of the cooking liquid, and return pasta to the pot.
While the pasta is cooking, place broccoli in a food processor and pulse to a crumb.
Heat oil in a heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat. Add zucchini, lemon zest, salt and chilli flakes and cook until slightly softened (about 2 minutes). Add garlic, broccoli and broad beans, edamame or peas and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently so the garlic does not burn. Add the ricotta, parsley, lemon juice and reserved pasta water to the pasta and stir to combine.
Serve pasta topped with zucchini mixture. Garnish with zucchini flowers, if using, and extra lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper to taste.