When I returned from a trip to Italy last fall, I brought back several bags of pasta. How did I have room in my luggage for the extra weight? I had taken an 8-pound keg of protein powder in my suitcase on the trip there to deliver to my son, so I had 8 pounds of extra room for treats on my return trip. It was an unexpected bonus!
The shapes of pasta that we saw in Italy were much more varied than what I usually find at the grocery store. And the quality was top notch. Having these reminders of Italy in the pantry and in our meals has been a visual and tasty treat.
One pasta I brought home was fusilli, a name familiar to anyone who has cooked the corkscrew-shaped noodles that are available in stores here. The Italian fusilli’s shape was slightly different, though, with longer pieces in a softer spiral.
Reaching for the Superlative
Browsing through a March 1989 issue of Bon Appétit, I found a recipe for “Rigatoni Superlativi,” based on one from the restaurant Orso in London’s Covent Garden Market. My Italian is not that great, but I could interpret this title pretty easily.
When a dish has the word “superlative” as part of its name, it is making a big promise to the diner. I thought that my fusilli was up to the challenge of replacing rigatoni—they are both short pasta shapes, after all.
I was interested in trying this dish because of the play of flavors: sweet, salty, crunchy and soft that its ingredient list offers. It also appealed to me because it can be put together in about 30 minutes.
Making the pasta sauce
I made a few changes to Orso’s recipe: decreasing the amount of oil and butter, increasing the amount of broccoli, and adding red bell peppers to the mix of flavors.
I also decided to boil the pasta in the same water that the broccoli cooked in, saving on the number of dishes to wash. I did blanch the broccoli separately—instead of boiling it with the pasta –because I wanted to ensure that the florets stayed bright green.
As I started to cook the “sauce,” which begins with garlic-infused olive oil, I knew I had a good base to build upon.
The red bell peppers sautéed alongside the onions amplify the sweet yet savory component and add a burst of color. The salty notes come from prosciutto, capers, and olives—a mixture that complements the bright florets of broccoli that are added at the end.
The pasta, tossed first with a bit of butter and then the vegetable-prosciutto sauce, is bright in colors.
Dusted with freshly ground black pepper and grated Parmesan, this dish lives up to its name. I may have to schedule another protein powder delivery soon.
Fusilli Superlativi
Ingredients
- 4 cups broccoli florets
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves peeled and flattened
- 1 large onion coarsely chopped
- 1/2 red bell pepper coarsely chopped
- 3 1/2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto chopped in 1/2 inch pieces
- 1/4 cup drained and rinsed capers
- 1/4 cup coarsely chopped pitted green olives
- 8 ounces of short pasta (such as fusilli)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Finely grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Heat several quarts of water in a large pot. When water comes to a boil, salt it lightly and add the broccoli florets. Cook broccoli for 2 minutes to blanch. (The florets should be crisp-tender and bright green.) Meanwhile, fill large bowl with ice cubes and cold water. Using a slotted spoon, transfer broccoli to ice water and allow to cool for several minutes. Drain broccoli and put aside.
- Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium low heat. Add garlic pieces to oil and cook until golden brown, turning often. Do not allow garlic to burn. Remove garlic from oil with slotted spoon and discard.
- Add onion to oil in skillet. Raise heat to medium. Cook for 7-8 minutes, stirring often, until beginning to wilt. Add red bell pepper and prosciutto, stirring well. Cook for an additional 5 minutes, stirring often.
- Meanwhile, return water in large pot to boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions.
- When pasta has 3 minutes left to cook, add capers and olives to onion mixture and heat through.
- When one minute of cooking time for pasta remains, add broccoli to onion-prosciutto mixture.
- Drain pasta and return to pot. Add butter and toss until evenly coated.
- Add pasta to onion-broccoli mixture and toss.
- Season with black pepper to taste (we used a lot) and sprinkle with a bit of Parmesan.
- Serve with more Parmesan on the side for everyone to sprinkle on according to taste.
Notes
To make this a meatless pasta, you could eliminate the prosciutto and double the amount of olives and red bell pepper. Adapted from June Gader in Bon Appétit (March 1989)
This makes my mouth water. Trying to limit the amount of meat in our diet., so this works.
Sounds wonderful. And it is visually attractive, too.