Calabrian Macaroni

The perfect Pasta Sunday meal for 5-6, the size of my usual gang. What do I know about Calabria? Not a whole lot! Lucia gave me unsolicited cautionary advice about the men but too late. Ha. I must say being friends with my guy is much easier than the romance. Oops! His love for Italian food and cooking is hard to resist. Yep, his family is from this region. So, what makes this pasta dish Calabrian … The Calabrian peppers and the long macaroni … all of it!

Recipe

4 Tablespoons olive oil-divided
1 Sweet onion-chopped fine
4 Cloves of garlic-minced
1-2 Dried Calabrian chiles (or 1/4-1/2 teaspoon red peppers flakes)
4-5 Ounces prosciutto-cut into strips
4 Cups peeled, seeded, chopped Romas (about 20 small-medium Romas)
1 Cup chopped parsley
1 Cup sliced basil-roll leaves into a cigar like shape and slice (more for garnish)
1/2 Cup shredded Romano (more for sprinkling)
Salt, and Pepper (freshly ground)
1 Pound long pasta-Calabrian or ziti

To peel tomatoes quickly: Bring a pot of water to boil. Cut an X through the skin at one end of the tomato. Drop the tomatoes a few at a time into the boiling water for about a minute. You will see the skin begin to peel. Remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice water. As you finish this process remove the tomatoes from the water. Peel, cut into quarters, remove seeds and roughly chop. Set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and the dried peppers or pepper depending upon need of heat (or add the flakes-1/2t can be hot). Saute’ for a few minutes until tender. Add the prosciutto and garlic and continue for a few more minutes. Add the tomatoes and turn to a simmer.

Remove the dried peppers from the sauce and simmer for about 30 minutes.

In the meantime, cook pasta until al dente. Be sure to cook in a good tablespoon of salt.

Add the fresh herbs and grated cheese to the sauce. Heat through. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Drain pasta carefully and completely. Hallow pasta tends to hold water.

Place pasta into serving bowl and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of your best olive oil. Add fresh ground pepper generously. Unlikely you will need salt.

Cover pasta with sauce and toss carefully.

Add remaining basil and cheese.

ENJOY!

A few of his family favorites TOO!

Peppers & Onions

Pasta Fazool

Eggplant Parmesan