The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook (45 page)

1 small dried red chile, crumbled, or ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 pound sweet Italian sausages with fennel, cut into ½-inch-thick pieces

12 plum tomatoes, seeded and cut into 4 wedges (or 4 cups canned whole plum tomatoes, drained and seeded, cut into 4 wedges)

1 pound rigatoni, cooked

Freshly ground pepper

1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the quartered garlic in the center of a square of foil lined with parchment paper. Fold up the edges of the foil to form sides. Drizzle the garlic with 3 tablespoons oil, and season with salt. Fold the foil up over the garlic to seal, forming a pouch. Transfer to a baking sheet. Roast the garlic until soft and golden brown, about 20 minutes.

2.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add salt. Add the broccoli rabe, and cook until bright green, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain. Cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces; set aside. Puree the sun-dried tomatoes in a blender. Transfer to a small bowl; set aside.

3.
Cook the remaining ¼ cup oil and the crushed garlic, the chile, and a pinch of salt in a large skillet over medium heat until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the sausage; cook, stirring often, until browned, about 10 minutes.

4.
Stir in the broccoli rabe, sun-dried-tomato puree, and plum tomatoes. Cook until the liquid has reduced, 10 to 12 minutes more.

5.
Toss the cooked pasta with roasted garlic. Stir the pasta mixture into the sauce in the skillet. Season with salt and pepper.

gratinéed macaroni and cheese with tomatoes

SERVES 6 TO 8

You can use six 2-cup gratin dishes to make individual servings. The baking time will be a bit shorter; cook until bubbling and golden.

7 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for dish

1¼ cups small pieces torn baguette or other crusty bread

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1 pound elbow macaroni or other short, tubular pasta

1 quart milk

5 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

4 cups grated sharp white Cheddar cheese (about 1 pound)

1 pound red and yellow tomatoes in all sizes, cut into 1-inch pieces if large or halved if small (cherry, grape, or pear)

1.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter a 9 × 13-inch baking dish or a 3-quart casserole dish; set aside. Melt 2 tablespoons butter, and pour over the bread in a medium bowl; toss. Add 1 teaspoon thyme, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper; toss.

2.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add salt. Cook the pasta until just beginning to soften, 2 to 3 minutes (it will not be fully cooked). Drain and rinse.

3.
Warm the milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Heat the remaining 5 tablespoons butter in a high-sided skillet (or a pot) over medium until foaming. Add the flour; whisk 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the warm milk. Cook, whisking, until bubbling and thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

4.
Add 2 teaspoons salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, the remaining 2 teaspoons thyme, the nutmeg, and cheese to pan; stir until the cheese is melted.

5.
Stir the pasta and tomatoes into the cheese sauce. Pour into the buttered dish; sprinkle with the bread topping. Bake until bubbling and golden, about 30 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

whole-wheat pasta with lentils, spinach, and leeks

SERVES 4

If you like, grate some Parmesan cheese over the tossed pasta just before serving, or offer grated cheese on the side.

2 cups (14 ounces) French green lentils

2 garlic cloves

1 dried bay leaf

1 pound small whole-wheat chiocciole or other small tubular pasta

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 leeks (about 1¾ pounds), white and light-green parts only, sliced into
¹
/
₈
-inch rounds, washed well and drained

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

1½ teaspoons coarse salt

Freshly ground black pepper

8 ounces baby spinach, washed

1.
In a medium saucepan, combine the lentils, 1 garlic clove, and the bay leaf. Add enough cold water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until the lentils are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain, and discard the garlic clove and bay leaf; set the lentils aside.

2.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta; cook until al dente, according to package instructions, about 7 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid. Place the pasta in a large bowl.

3.
Meanwhile, mince the remaining garlic clove. In a large sauté pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic, leeks, and thyme; cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are soft but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the cooked lentils and salt; season with pepper.

4.
Add the spinach and reserved cooking liquid to the pan; toss to wilt the spinach, about 2 minutes. Pour the mixture over the pasta, tossing to combine. Serve immediately.

FIT TO EAT RECIPE
PER SERVING: 638 CALORIES, 9 G FAT, 0 MG CHOLESTEROL, 120 G CARBOHYDRATE, 793 MG SODIUM, 29 G PROTEIN, 11 G FIBER

rice noodles with chinese broccoli and shiitake mushrooms

SERVES 4

Similar greens—such as yow choy, also known as choy sum (which looks almost identical to bok choy but bears small yellow flowers), broccolini, or even regular broccoli—will work well in this dish if you can’t find Chinese broccoli. You can buy wide rice noodles at Asian grocery stores, or use the narrow rice noodles (often labeled “pad thai noodles”) that many supermarkets carry.

8 ounces wide (about
³
/
₈
inch) or other rice noodles

12 ounces Chinese broccoli (also called gai lan), cut into 2-inch pieces

3 tablespoons low-sodium tamari soy sauce

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Thai fish sauce (also called nam pla)

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar (not seasoned)

1 teaspoon sugar

¾ cup homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken stock

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger, or more to taste

2 garlic cloves, minced

8 shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps quartered

2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water

4 scallions, white and pale-green parts only, cut on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

Crushed red pepper flakes, for sprinkling (optional)

Sesame seeds, for sprinkling (optional)

Coarse salt, for sprinkling (optional)

1.
Cover the noodles with very hot water in a large bowl, and let soak 30 minutes. Drain the noodles, and set aside.

2.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the broccoli; cook until crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Drain; set aside.

3.
Stir together the tamari, fish sauce, vinegar, sugar, and stock in a small bowl; set aside. Heat the canola oil in a large nonstick skillet or a wok over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add the ginger, garlic, and mushroom caps; cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are soft, about 2 minutes.

4.
Add the tamari mixture to the skillet; bring to a simmer over high heat. Stir in the cornstarch mixture, and simmer 2 minutes. Add the reserved noodles and broccoli, along with the scallions, and toss to coat. Drizzle with the sesame oil, and toss again. Serve with red pepper flakes, sesame seeds, and salt for sprinkling, if desired.

pasta with fennel, sardines, and pine nuts

SERVES 4

1 pound penne, trenette, or other short pasta

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup pine nuts

1 onion, finely chopped

2 fennel bulbs, trimmed and thinly sliced, plus ¼ cup green fronds

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 teaspoon coarse salt

Freshly ground pepper

2 cans (3.75 ounces each) sardines packed in olive oil

Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon, plus 1 lemon for serving

1.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente, according to package instructions, about 8 minutes.

2.
Meanwhile, combine the oil and pine nuts in a large sauté pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the nuts are lightly toasted, 3 to 4 minutes.

3.
Add the onion, sliced fennel, garlic, and salt to pan; season with pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and light golden, 9 to 10 minutes. Add the sardines; stir in the lemon zest and juice. Chop the reserved fennel fronds; stir into the mixture.

4.
Drain the pasta, reserving about ¼ cup cooking liquid. Add the pasta to the mixture in the pan along with enough cooking water to coat; toss to combine. Divide among 4 serving plates; grate lemon zest over each. Serve immediately.

FIT TO EAT RECIPE
PER SERVING: 571 CALORIES, 17 G FAT, 20 MG CHOLESTEROL, 73 G CARBOHYDRATE, 548 MG SODIUM, 28 G PROTEIN, 13 G FIBER

pasta verde

SERVES 4

2 tablespoons grainy mustard

2 tablespoons white wine or sherry vinegar

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1 pound gemelli or other short pasta

1 sweet onion, halved lengthwise, then cut crosswise ¼ inch thick

2 small zucchini, halved lengthwise, then cut crosswise ¼ inch thick

8 ounces snap peas, tough strings removed

3 ounces baby spinach (or 1 bunch regular spinach, stems trimmed and leaves coarsely chopped)

1 small bunch scallions, thinly sliced (about ½ cup)

¼ cup packed fresh basil leaves, cut into very thin strips

1.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the mustard and vinegar. While whisking, slowly drizzle in ¼ cup oil until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside. Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, according to package instructions, about 8 minutes. Drain; return to pot. Set aside.

2.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion; cook until just softened, about 4 minutes. Add the zucchini; cook, stirring, until tender, about 4 minutes. Add the snap peas and spinach; cook, stirring, until bright green, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in the scallions and basil. Add to the pasta along with the vinaigrette; toss. Serve warm or at room temperature.

broccoli with orecchiette

SERVES 4

Broccoli, a cruciferous vegetable, contains significant amounts of vitamins A and C, as well as calcium, iron, and riboflavin.

8 ounces orecchiette (ear-shaped pasta)

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 bunch (about 1½ pounds) broccoli, stalks peeled and trimmed, stalks and florets roughly chopped

1 teaspoon coarse salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese

1.
Bring a large stockpot of water to a boil. Add the pasta, and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally to keep the pasta from sticking, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a colander to drain, reserving ½ cup cooking liquid. Set the pasta aside.

2.
Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic; sauté until golden, stirring to avoid burning, about 2 minutes. Add the broccoli and reserved cooking liquid; cook, stirring, until the broccoli is tender and bright green, about 3 minutes. Add the salt, and season with pepper. Remove from heat.

3.
Add the reserved pasta to the pan, and toss well to coat. Transfer to 4 serving bowls; drizzle each with ½ teaspoon olive oil, and garnish each serving with 1½ teaspoons grated cheese.

FIT TO EAT RECIPE
PER SERVING: 284 CALORIES, 5 G FAT, 4 MG CHOLESTEROL, 49 G CARBOHYDRATE, 801 MG SODIUM, 12 G PROTEIN, 5 G FIBER

butternut squash ravioli with fried sage leaves

MAKES ABOUT 24 RAVIOLI; SERVES 4

1¾ cups Roasted Squash Puree, made with butternut squash (recipe follows)

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

½ cup chopped shallots (about 3)

1½ tablespoons chopped fresh sage, plus 24 whole sage leaves for garnish

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Pinch of ground nutmeg

½ cup semolina, for dusting

Fresh Pasta Dough (Pasta, Rice, and Grains)

All-purpose flour, for dusting

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish (2 ounces)

1.
In a small saucepan, cook the squash puree over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it stops releasing moisture and is reduced to 1¼ cups, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl to cool.

2.
In a small saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the shallots; cook, stirring, until soft and beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the chopped sage; cook, stirring, 1 minute more. Remove from heat; combine with the squash. Season with salt and pepper; stir in the nutmeg. Let cool completely.