Orzo Carbonara

Makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 pound bacon, diced
• 1/2 pound orzo
• 1 pound asparagus, cut into 1 inch lengths
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese plus extra for serving
• Kosher salt & freshly ground pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook bacon in a large skillet until just getting crispy, remove all but 2 tablespoons of oil and turn off heat
2. Boil large pot of water and add orzo cook 8 minutes and after 4 minutes of cooking, add asparagus to cooking orzo
3. While it cooks, beat egg in a bowl and stir in cream
4. When orzo is done, drain but reserve 1 cup of the water
5. Add drained orzo and asparagus to the pan with bacon, and heat on medium until warmed through
6. Add garlic, and stir through until very fragrant - about 45 seconds, turn off heat
7. Stir in beaten egg/cream and 1/2 cup of the cheese - season with Kosher salt and lots of black pepper
8. Mix well and add as much reserved pasta water to make it creamy
9. Serve with extra Parmesan

WATCH ME MAKE THIS

Simple Lemon Pasta

If you can't make this, no one can.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 pound pasta, you can choose
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lemon, zest and juice
• 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/3 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese, plus a little more for garnish
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook noodles according to package directions
2. About 1/4 way though, heat olive oil a large pan on medium heat and add garlic
3. Just as it get super fragrant, about 30 seconds, and zest and juice of lemon and red pepper flakes
4. Stir well to combine and let simmer about a minute
5. Drain pasta and add to sauce along with cheese and parsley - mix well to combine
6. Plate and top with a little more cheese and parsley

WATCH ME MAKE THIS

SPAGHETTI WITH BACON & PEPPERS

Those adorable little sweet & hot cherry peppers make an important appearance in this super simple pasta.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 lb spaghetti
• 1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1/2 cup jarred hot & sweet cherry peppers, diced
• 1/3 cup cream
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup cooked bacon, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• freshly ground pepper
• Kosher salt

DIRECTIONS

1. In deep skillet or wok, cook bacon for 15 mins, remove when crispy, keep 2 tablespoons fat in skillet
2. Using same skillet, add onion, soften for 4 minutes
3. Turn heat to low, add garlic cook for minute, add peppers, season with Kosher salt and fresh pepper
4. Cook pasta according to pack instructions, drain when 'al dente' (keep a cup of cooking water)
5. Add cream and parmesan to skillet, cook on medium/low for 3-4 minutes to thicken
6. Add pasta and 1/2 cup pasta water to skillet, mix in bacon and parsley, eat!

TIP: You could freeze remaining bacon fat and use for something else.

WATCH SAM COOK THIS >>> 

MAC N GOAT CHEESE

Who says you need cheddar to make mac & cheese – cuz we certainly don’t. In an attempt to use up some leftover crumbled goat cheese, we create a super delicious mac that hopefully you’ll love – cuz we certainly did.

Serves 4 

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 lb Macaroni
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup All purpose flour
• 3 cups milk
• 1 cup crumbly goat cheese, not the log type (keep few crumbles for topping)
• Good pinch Kosher salt
• 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon fresh black pepper  
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper  
• 1/2 small bag spinach
• 3 tablespoons breadcrumbs

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven 350
2. In medium pan on low/medium heat, melt butter (don't let it color), add flour, mix well to make a roux, continuously whisk in milk gradually
3. Add goat cheese to sauce, add black pepper and cayenne pepper
4. Boil large pot salted water, cook until "al dente", for the last minute add the spinach, stir, then drain
5. Stir cooked pasta and spinach to sauce, decant into 8x8 casserole dish or deep cast iron skillet like me
6. Top with bread crumbs and remaining goat cheese crumbles, cook for 35 minutes and eat!

TIP:  you could throw in a handful bacon pieces!

Bucatini with Asparagus and Prosciutto

Serves 2

A perfect and satisfying lunch or dinner that you can make in under 20 mins.

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb Bucatini pasta

• 1 pound asparagus, thick ends removed

• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

• 1 1/2 lemons, juiced

• Pinch Kosher salt

• Fresh ground black pepper

• 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

• 4 thin slices Prosciutto

• 2 eggs

• 2 tablespoons vinegar

Directions

1. Bring 2 pots of water to a bowl

2. Cook pasta according to package instructions in one, and the asparagus in the other until just starting to get tender

3. Immediately plunge asparagus into a large bowl filled with water & ice - (this will stop it cooking), drain on paper towels - cut into 2 inch lengths

4. Whisk lemon juice, Dijon, olive oil, Kosher salt and pepper in a small bowl, set aside

5. Crack eggs into 2 small dishes being sure not to break the yolks

6. Stir vinegar into a 3rd pot of just simmering water, and using a spoon, stir water in a circular motion to create a mini whirlpool, then carefully slide egg into the center of the pot

7. Cook uncovered about 4 minutes or until poached

8. Drain pasta, return to pot with asparagus and some of the vinaigrette - mix well

9. Plate pasta, top with torn pieces of prosciutto, Parmesan and finally the poached egg

Spicy Sausage Pasta

Serves 6

Love it, love it, love it. What more can I say? Delicious. That's all. Ok, smooth and creamy too. There - I'm done.

5 slices raw bacon, diced fairly small

4 tablespoons butter

3/4 cup panko bread crumbs

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound spicy Italian sausage, (casings removed if in sausage form)

1 pound penne pasta

4 cloves garlic

1 1/2 cups whipping cream

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley

• Add bacon to a non-stick pan, and cook until just getting crispy - remove to a paper towel to drain

• Remove bacon grease, leaving about a tablesppon, then add 1 tablespoon of the butter to the pan and when melted and add bread crumbs - stirring often over medium high heat until golden brown then add back in the bacon, stir well to combine and remove to a small bowl - set aside

• Heat oil in medium hot pan, add sausage & break apart to crumble

• Cook until no longer pink and stir in garlic - cook another minute

• Add cream - simmer on low about 10 minutes

• While it cooks, add pasta to boiling water - when the pasta's ready, so is the sausage

• Drain pasta and add to sausage

• Add remaining butter, Parmesan cheese & parsley - mix well

• Serve topped with the bacon/bread crumbs

Orecchiette with Tuna & Arugula

Serves 8

Quit looking down ur nose at tuna - it's not a junky ingredient. And when it's this delicious, you'll want it all the time.

Ingredients

• 1 pound orecchiette pasta (little ear shape)
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 4 large cloves garlic, minced
• 2 - 6 ounces cans albacore tuna, drained
• 1/2 - 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 bunch arugula
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions
2. Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat and add garlic - heat but don't let it brown
3. Add tuna & red pepper to garlic & oil, stir well and heat through
4. Put arugula on top of garlic & oil
5. Drain pasta and add to arugula pan - mix well until arugula wilts
6. Add lemon zest and season with salt & pepper - mix well and serve