Pasta 4-Ways: Tomato, Carbonara, Basil Pesto & Cacio e Pepe

Life is full of decisions, so don’t make pasta be one.

Sundays are for carbloading!

Always love freshly grated cheese!!

For all of the below sauces, boil choice of pasta in water. Make sure to season the water with salt and once the pasta is done, reserve the pasta water on the side to use for the carbonara and cacio e pepe sauces.

*Tomato*

Ingredients:

• 12 oz can Cento San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes
• 2-4 gloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup white onion, minced (can use any onion of choice, it’ll all turn out amazing!)
• 1 tablespoon Mutti tomato paste
• Extra virgin olive oil to taste
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon avocado oil
• Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
• Fresh basil

Directions:

• Depending on how much garlic you like, use from 2 to 4 cloves of garlic and either mince with knife or in food processor.
• In non-stick medium size pan, sautée the onion and garlic at medium-high heat until the onions are translucent and the garlic is lightly browned.
• Pour whole peeled tomatoes into mixing bowl and squeeze and crush the tomatoes by hand to break them down in mixing bowl (alternative option, use a potato masher to breakdown the tomatoes).
• Add tomatoes to pan with garlic and onions, and on low heat, render down the sauce for about 45 minutes. Check on the sauce every once in a while and stir.
• When the sauce is rendering, preheat the oven to 300F degrees. Slice the cherry tomatoes and in mixing bowl, mix the tomatoes and avocado oil together. Spread the slices out on a foil in jelly roll pan. Bake the tomato slices for about 30 minutes.
• After the sauce is rendered down, add tomato paste to the sauce (which adds tartness and extra tomato flavor).
• When sauce is done add salt and pepper to taste and mix in the baked cherry tomato slices.
• Add a swirl of olive oil to finish off.
• Use desired amount of sauce with pasta and top with fresh basil.

*Basil Pesto*

Ingredients:

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves
• 4 cloves fresh garlic
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil
• 1/2 cup freshly fine-grated Parmesan cheese and additional to top
• Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

Directions:

• In food processor, combine basil, garlic, pine nuts and 1/4 cup of the oil. Pulse until well mixed, it might require some scrapping down the sides and re-pulsing a few times.
• Add cheese and other half of oil to the food processor and continue to mix until well combined.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Mix basil pesto with pasta and add extra grated cheese on top.

*Cacio e Pepe*

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 3/4 cup freshly fine-grated Grana Padano
• 1/3 cup freshly fine-grated Pecorino
• 1/2 cup pasta water (save from boiling pasta)
• Sea salt to taste

Directions:

• In heavy skillet on medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and add pepper to pan. Cook for about one minute.
• Add 1/2 cup of pasta water to skillet and bring to simmer.
• Add pasta to skillet and remaining butter to skillet. Use tongs to stir well.
• Reduce the heat to low and add in both cheeses. Continue to use tongs to stir. Once cheese is melted, remove from heat.
• Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
• If the pasta and sauce seems to dry, add a little bit more pasta water.

*Carbonara*

Ingredients:

• 4 large egg yolks, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup fresh finely-grated Pecorino
• 1/3 cup fresh finely-grated Parmesan
• 1/2 cup finely diced pancetta (option: Citterio Pancetta that is already diced works well)
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/4 cup pasta water (or more if needed)
• Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions:

• In mixing bowl, whisk together two egg yolks with Pecorino and Parmesan cheese together and set on side.
• In heavy skillet on low heat, sautée the pancetta and crushed garlic until fat is rendered (about 15 minutes). Once garlic is browned in pan, remove and discard.
• Add cooked pasta to pancetta and thoroughly mix and add 1/4 cup pasta water.
• Mix in cheese and egg mixture with tongs. If the sauce is too thick, add some more pasta water to thin out.
• Add fresh ground pepper and salt to taste. Keep in mind that the pancetta is already salty, so additional salt might not be necessary.
• After pasta is mixed, in serving bowl add two egg yolks to the pasta when serving.

Enjoy your pasta flight tasting!!! And don’t forget some wine to pair back to it all!