Christmas Spaghetti Recipes

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Fill a large bowl with cold water. Drop the broccoli into the boiling water and cook until crisp-tender and bright green, about 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and plunge into the cold water to stop the cooking. Let sit until cool, then drain and set aside.
• Return the water in the pot to a boil and cook the rigatoni according to the package directions for al dente. Drain in a colander and transfer to a large bowl. Toss the pasta with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil to coat evenly and refrigerate until cooled completely, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, add the remaining 1/3 cup olive oil to a blender with the spinach, Parmesan, almonds, basil, lemon juice, chives and 1/4 cup water and puree until completely smooth. Pour the pesto over top of the pasta and add the reserved broccoli, red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, mozzarella, vinegar and 1 teaspoon salt. Toss gently until well combined. Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with more chopped chives. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 4 hours.

Steps:

• Heat a deep pot over medium high heat. Add oil, garlic, bay, and pancetta bits and brown for 1 minute. Add meats and brown and crumble them for 5 minutes.
• Chop carrot, celery, and onions near the stove and add to the pot as you work. Cook vegetables with meat 5 minutes and add wine. Cook for 1 minute; add stock and tomatoes to the pot.
• Stir in parsley, allspice, or cinnamon and season sauce with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring sauce to a boil, reduce heat to medium low, and cook 10 to 15 minutes minimum before serving. Reheated sauce only improves.
• Toss pasta (cook off only as much pasta as you need at the time: half a pound for every 3 people) with a couple of ladles of sauce to coat, then top bowl with extra sauce. Top pasta with lots of cheese and pass bread at the table.

Steps:

• Bring water to a boil for the spaghetti. Cook till al dente.
• Meantime, heat a heavy skillet (cast iron)and saute the bread crumbs till golden brown. Remove and set aside.
• Heat oils till very warm. Add the anchovies to the warm oil. Turn up the heat and simmer till the anchovies disintegrate.
• Drain the spaghetti but leave very wet.
• Pour the oil/anchovy mixture over and toss.
• Sprinkle with the browned bread crumbs.
• My kids used to call this "dirty worms".

Steps:

• Heat a deep pot over medium high heat.
• Add oil, garlic, bay leaf, and pancetta bits and brown for 1 minute.
• Add meats and brown.
• Chop carrot, celery, and onions near stove and add to the pot as you work.
• Cook veggies with meat for 5 minutes and add wine.
• Cook for 1 minute; add stock and tomatoes to the pot.
• Stir in parsley, allspice (or cinnamon), and season sauce with salt and pepper.
• Bring sauce to boil, reduce heat to medium low and cook 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
• Toss pasta with a couple of ladles of sauce to coat, then top with extra.
• Top pasta with lots of grated romano cheese.