Everyday Italian_ 125 Simple and Delicious Recipes Part 24

teaspoon olive oil teaspoon olive oil

4.

cups cups Bechamel Sauce Bechamel Sauce .

pound thinly sliced prosciutto, cut crosswise into thin strips pound thinly sliced prosciutto, cut crosswise into thin strips

1.

cup freshly grated fontina cheese cup freshly grated fontina cheese .

teaspoon salt, plus more to taste teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

Pinch of freshly ground white pepper, plus more to taste

1.

pound dried rigatoni pound dried rigatoni

3.

tablespoons unsalted b.u.t.ter, diced tablespoons unsalted b.u.t.ter, diced

Preheat the Oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly coat a 13x9-inch gla.s.s baking dish with the oil. In a medium saucepan, stir the bechamel sauce over medium heat until hot (do not allow the sauce to boil). Stir in the prosciutto, cup of the fontina cheese, teaspoon of salt, and a pinch of white pepper. Set the cheese sauce aside. to 425 degrees F. Lightly coat a 13x9-inch gla.s.s baking dish with the oil. In a medium saucepan, stir the bechamel sauce over medium heat until hot (do not allow the sauce to boil). Stir in the prosciutto, cup of the fontina cheese, teaspoon of salt, and a pinch of white pepper. Set the cheese sauce aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rigatoni and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost tender but still very firm, about 5 minutes (do not cook the pasta to doneness at this point, since it will continue cooking as it bakes in the oven). Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Stir in the cheese sauce and season the pasta mixture with more salt and pepper to taste.

Spoon the pasta mixture into the prepared dish, then sprinkle with the remaining cup of fontina cheese and dot the top with the b.u.t.ter. (The pasta can be prepared up to this point 8 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Uncover before baking.) Bake the pasta until the top is golden brown and the sauce bubbles, about 25 minutes. Serve immediately.

Leftover PASTA.

We've all been there: Without thinking, you just dump that whole pound of pasta into the boiling water. Once it's plumped up and drained, you realize that it's far more pasta than your appet.i.te can handle. Don't despair-and don't throw it away. Take a hint from the Italians, who are incredibly inventive when it comes to leftovers, and try the following recipes.

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PIZZA DI SPAGHETTI.

Like a pizza, it's crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside. Nearly any pasta shape with any sauce will do; as long as you liked the original serving, you'll like the leftovers prepared this way.

4 SIDE-DISH SERVINGS.

1.

cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish .

cup whole milk cup whole milk

2.

large eggs large eggs .

teaspoon sea salt teaspoon sea salt .

teaspoon freshly ground black pepper teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2.

cups leftover cooked and sauced pasta, such as spaghetti with cups leftover cooked and sauced pasta, such as spaghetti with Tomato Sauce with Olives Tomato Sauce with Olives .

cup olive oil cup olive oil

In a Large Bowl, beat the 1 cup of Parmesan cheese, the milk, eggs, sea salt, and pepper. Add the leftover pasta and toss to coat. beat the 1 cup of Parmesan cheese, the milk, eggs, sea salt, and pepper. Add the leftover pasta and toss to coat.

In a 10-inch-diameter nonstick saute pan, heat the oil over a medium flame. Add the pasta mixture to the pan, spreading evenly. Cook until golden brown on the bottom, about 8 minutes. Carefully invert the pasta mixture onto a plate, then slide it back into the pan. Continue cooking until the bottom is golden brown and the mixture is heated through, about 6 minutes. Transfer the pasta mixture to a serving platter and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Cut into wedges and serve warm.

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TORTA DI PASTA.

The literal translation of torta di pasta torta di pasta is "cake made of pasta." What I particularly love about this recipe is that it makes for great finger food: All the ingredients bind together and can be cut up into easy little servings, and it can be served at room temperature. You probably won't want to tell your guests that you're serving them leftovers, and they'll never know the difference. is "cake made of pasta." What I particularly love about this recipe is that it makes for great finger food: All the ingredients bind together and can be cut up into easy little servings, and it can be served at room temperature. You probably won't want to tell your guests that you're serving them leftovers, and they'll never know the difference.

6 APPETIZER SERVINGS OR 4 MAIN-COURSE SERVINGS.

Salt

8.

ounces dried spaghetti, or leftover cooked pasta ounces dried spaghetti, or leftover cooked pasta .

cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

4.

large eggs large eggs .

cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese .

cup freshly grated fontina cheese cup freshly grated fontina cheese 1.

teaspoons salt teaspoons salt .

teaspoon freshly ground black pepper teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1.

tablespoon unsalted b.u.t.ter tablespoon unsalted b.u.t.ter

1.

tablespoon olive oil tablespoon olive oil