Luca’s Basil Rigatoni – for Kathleen

[Luca Lazzari]

Hi Kathleen, here is you rigatoni recipe, directly from my segret vault.
This recipe is really easy and quick to prepare, but IMHO is very nice! The only problem could be that I use fresh basil leaves, I’ve never tried it with the frozen product.
You can change the proportions of grated cheese, or use only both Parmigiano and pecorino but in a different ratio. As always, it’s a matter of taste (and I LOVE pecorino…). Or you can try a different cheese, as you like.

Serves 4 (you can cut the pasta amount, if you like) | SAUCE: 60 g butter | 12 fresh basil leaves | 1 garlic clove, peeled | PASTA: 400 g rigatoni | a handful of coarse salt | SERVING: grated cheese mix: 60 g Parmigiano and 30 g pecorino.

Let’s make this rigatoni
- Start heating a large pot of water for the pasta.
- Gently wash basil leaves, dry them then chop them. Peel and chop the garlic clove. Warm the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, and then add the chopped basil and garlic. Reduce to low heat and cook for a few minutes.
- When the water reaches a rolling boil, add the coarse salt, wait a couple of minutes and add the rigatoni. Cook the rigatoni (follow the cooking time print on the package, but start tasting them a couple of minutes before the end of the expected cooking time).
- Add the rigatoni and half of the grated cheese to the saucepan, over medium heat, stir it well for 2/3 minutes, then turn off the fire: you have to serve the pasta at once.
- Using a large spoon put the pasta in four warm plates. Add the rest of grated cheese on top of each dish and serve.

Ecco fatto! A red, sparkling wine, as a dry Lambrusco di Sorbara from Emilia Romagna region, could be a good match for this simple pasta recipe. And again, you can substitute it with some Mountain Dew!

Buon appetito!

[Steve Kroll]

This sounds fabulous and I just happen to have some basil that needs to be used up.

[PrincessFiona60]

Yummy, yum...want! Thanks, Luca!

[Luca Lazzari]

Thanks Steve and PrincessFiona!

I must add that, as justplainbill said in this thread of mine about spaghetti, the pasta portion in this recipe is 100 grams, because this serving is supposed to be part of a (semi)full curse Italian meal. However, as I said there, I never eat more then 120 grams of pasta even if it's the only serving I have.

[Kathleen]

That sounds amazing! Thank you so much! I will have to post a picture when I make it. I can get fresh basil!

[Luca Lazzari]

Originally Posted by Kathleen

That sounds amazing! Thank you so much! I will have to post a picture when I make it. I can get fresh basil!

Thank you Kathleen, you gave me the push I needed to get back posting some recipe. Thanks again.

[Kathleen]

Originally Posted by Luca Lazzari

Thank you Kathleen, you gave me the push I needed to get back posting some recipe. Thanks again.

Where do you get most of your recipes? For me, old southern recipes come from my mother and grandmothers. Others are twists on things I stumble over while trying different foods. I loved the pictures of your lasagna!

[Dawgluver]

Wow! Keep 'em coming, Luca!

[MostlyWater]

I also have some basil that needs using up! thanks !

[Luca Lazzari]

Originally Posted by Kathleen

Where do you get most of your recipes? For me, old southern recipes come from my mother and grandmothers. Others are twists on things I stumble over while trying different foods. I loved the pictures of your lasagna!

I get them from my family and friends, restaurants, the web, cuisine magazines. And I try to be creative, sometimes with decent results, sometimes everything goes down the trash... For example, I CANNOT prepare a decent pasta recipe with fresh cherry tomatoes, I always overcook them, I hate those evil red balls...
I'll pass you thanks for the lasagna pictures to Gabriella