Pasta Perfect

This beloved comfort food is bouncing back, powered by creative new shapes, health benefits and chef-inspired sauce pairings.

^{Photography and styling by Fred + Elliott • Food by Chef J Frank}

After you check out the recipes below, click here for a list of our favorite fresh pasta purveyors around the state.

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Between gluten-bashing and low-carb diets, pasta has taken a few hits of late. But this beloved comfort food is bouncing back, powered by creative new shapes, health benefits and chef-inspired sauce pairings.

The truth is that traditional durum-wheat pasta is actually a carbohydrate-friendly meal option, with a lower glycemic index than brown rice, quinoa, bulgur and other trendy whole grains. (Glycemic index is a measure of how likely a food is to rev up your blood sugar and then let it drop, and a good quality pasta’s index is about as low as that of lentils and black beans.)   

Of course today’s pasta is much healthier than the boxed mac-and-cheese that many of us grew up with, but it’s just as satisfying. Whether it’s rich ribbons of fettucine, fat gnocchi pillows or tender cupped orecchiette, this is Sophia Loren pasta—earthy, sexy and full-bodied.  

“The thing about pasta is its flexibility,” says Rich Micheli, co-owner of The Portofino in Arlington, whose grandfather opened the traditional Italian restaurant in 1970. “It’s seasonal, so you want lighter pasta in the hotter months and a fuller richer ragu or deep red sauce in winter, more comfort food. Pasta has that large variety.”

About 10 years ago Micheli says he started noticing more low-carb diners foregoing pasta, but that moment has passed. Diners give rave reviews to the homemade tortellini, lasagna noodles and manicotti that Micheli incorporates into nightly specials.  

In fact, increasing numbers of cutting-edge chefs are installing commercial pasta machines. “The last thing I ever thought I’d be running was an Italian kitchen,” says Jeff Farmer, chef at Fortunato restaurant in Roanoke. “But a lot of it had to do with the pasta extruder. It seems like every chef I know has invested in one of these.” Chefs can choose different cutting dies to form various shapes, Farmer explains. “This gives us a lot of control over what comes out of the kitchen instead of just buying dried or frozen pasta and throwing it out there with our name on it.” Farmer’s newest kitchen toy is a die that creates pasta shaped like little squash blossoms.

John Kreckman is a classically-trained chef, but now as co-owner of Bombolini in Richmond he is all about pasta—making shapes and sauces that he sells both retail and wholesale. He credits pasta with sustaining his creativity.

“If you do French cooking, Spanish cooking, whatever, there’s a general flavor profile you’ve got to hit. But pasta spans everything,” Kreckman says. “Japanese have noodles, Chinese, Koreans, Spanish—everybody has some version of noodles. You can make a Russian dish one day, and noodle kugel the next. You can go everywhere.”

Today’s pasta invites you to branch out beyond boxed spaghetti and embark on your own kitchen adventure. Here we offer several options featuring decadent lobster, braised rabbit, tender veal and a creamy take on the classic spring dish, pasta primavera. Pick up some fresh new shapes, open a bottle of Chianti and experiment with a sexy new sauce. Ciao bella, Italia is waiting.

Veal Medallions with Fettuccine Pesto and Blood Orange Sauce

For pesto:

2 cups packed basil

2 garlic cloves

½ cup pine nuts

1¼ cups olive oil

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

¼ cup grated Romano cheese

Combine basil, garlic and nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarse.  Add ½ cup of oil and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and add remaining oil and cheese.

For blood orange sauce:

1 cup blood orange juice (approximately 6 to 7 oranges)

2 shallots, minced

¼ cup red wine vinegar

½ cup white wine

¼ cup heavy cream

4 tablespoons butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

Reduce the juice to ¼ cup and reserve. Combine the shallots with the vinegar and reduce over low heat. Add white wine and reduce again. Stir in cream and simmer. Remove from heat and stir in butter piece by piece until incorporated. Stir in reserved juice and strain.

For veal:

1 loin of veal, cut into medallions

salt and pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

Season the veal with salt and pepper, and sear in the olive oil in a skillet. Set aside and keep warm.

For pasta:

Approximately 1 pound fresh fettuccine pasta

In well-salted boiling water, cook pasta about 1 minute or until al dente. Season with pesto. Arrange on plate with veal medallions, and cover with blood orange sauce.

Serves 4

Hasenpfeffer

1 rabbit, cut into serving pieces

½ cup flour

¹⁄3 cup diced bacon

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

5 shallots, diced

3 garlic cloves, diced

¼ cup brandy

1½ cups chicken stock

1 cup red wine

½ lemon, sliced

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 sprig fresh rosemary

4 juniper berries, crushed

3 whole allspice berries, crushed

2 whole cloves

1 bay leaf

salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1½ tablespoons currant jelly

½ cup button mushrooms

½ cup blanched pearl onions

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Season the rabbit with salt and pepper. Coat well with flour, shaking off any excess. In a large pan over medium heat, render the bacon and butter, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Add the shallots and garlic and sauté until soft. Remove the shallots and garlic and increase the heat to medium high. Brown the rabbit a few pieces at a time on both sides, then remove from pan and set aside. Reduce heat to medium, then add brandy and reduce lightly. Return the rabbit to the pan and add chicken stock, wine, sliced lemon and remaining spices, herbs and berries. Bring to a boil, cover and cook in the oven for 1 to 1½ hours, or when rabbit is tender. Remove the rabbit from pan and keep warm. Strain the sauce, adding more stock if necessary to make 2 cups of liquid. Reduce sauce lightly and add reserved bacon and shallot mixture. Season with Dijon mustard and currant jelly. Sauté mushrooms and pearl onions in remaining butter.

For pasta:

1 pound fresh pappardelle noodles

In a large pot, cook the noodles in well-salted boiling water for approximately 1 minute or until al dente. Drain, then mix with mushroom and onion mixture. Serve rabbit over noodles and garnish with chopped parsley.

Serves 4    

Pasta Primavera

For sauce:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 garlic cloves, diced

1 large shallot, diced

1 cup chicken stock

½ cup heavy cream

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Heat butter and oil in a large skillet, then add garlic and shallot and sauté until soft (not brown), approximately 1 minute. Add the stock and bring to a boil for 2 to 3 minutes, then add the cream and reduce for 3 to 4 minutes until slightly thick. Add ¼ cup of the Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper. Set aside and keep warm.

For vegetable mixture:

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 garlic clove, diced fine

6 to 8 button mushrooms, sliced

2 zucchinis, cut into desired shape

½ cup peas, blanched

½ cup asparagus spears, blanched

1 red pepper, sliced fine

½ cup tomato slices

1 tablespoon chopped chives for garnish

1 tablespoon chopped parsley for garnish

Heat the butter and oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until soft. Add mushrooms and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the zucchini, peas, asparagus and red pepper. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add tomato slices and season with salt and pepper. Set aside and keep warm.

For pasta:

1 pound, mixed, of fresh spinach, roasted red pepper and plain fettuccine pasta

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook pasta approximately 1 minute or until al dente. Drain and mix the vegetables and sauce together with the pasta. Garnish with remaining cheese and herbs.

Serves 4

Lobster with Ditalini Pasta

For lobster:

1½- to 2-pound lobster

In a large pot with a strainer or steamer basket, bring 2 to 3 inches of water to a rapid boil. Place lobster in steamer and steam for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from steamer, let cool and remove meat from shell. Reserve shell for use in sauce.

For sauce:

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

½ cup diced yellow onions

¼ cup diced carrots

¼ cup diced celery

1 tablespoon diced garlic

2 tablespoons diced shallots

reserved shell from cooked lobster

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup chopped tomatoes

2 tablespoons tomato paste

4 cups chicken stock

1 teaspoon salt

¹⁄8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 to 3-inch piece of orange peel for garnish

In a medium sauce pan, melt the oil and butter over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots and celery and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and shallots and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the lobster shell and stir well. Add the flour, mix well, then add the tomatoes and tomato paste and mix thoroughly. Add stock, salt and cayenne, then simmer uncovered for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a sauce pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until reduced to about 3 cups, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.

For pasta:

Approximately 6 ounces fresh ditalini pasta

In a large pot, cook the pasta in well-salted boiling water for approximately 1 minute or until al dente. Drain, then mix with sauce and serve all with lobster. Garnish with orange peel.

Serves 2

Swordfish with Calamarata Pasta

¼ cup olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons extra

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

5 scallions, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons capers

½ cup dry white wine

1½ pounds swordfish steaks, cut into cubes

salt and pepper to taste

¼ cup chopped parsley

2 tablespoons chopped mint

Heat olive oil in a deep skillet, add tomatoes and garlic, then cook over high heat until tomatoes soften, stirring often. Add the scallions and capers and mix. Add the white wine and cook for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper then remove and keep warm. Season the swordfish with salt and pepper and sear on both sides in the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil.

For pasta:

1 pound fresh calamarata pasta

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook pasta about 1 minute or until al dente, stirring often. Drain and return to the pot and keep warm. Mix the swordfish with the sauce and pasta and garnish with all chopped herbs.

Serves 6

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This article originally appeared in our April 2016 issue.