500 Pasta Dishes

Of all the wonderful things that Italy has given the world, nothing is quite so special as a dish of  perfectly prepared pasta. Italian cooking tends to involve the emotions, but nothing seems to provoke  as much passion and fervour in a real Italian in the kitchen as his or her favourite pasta recipe. The book's emphasis is on being creative rather than complicated, so the ingredients are easy to get hold of and the instructions are straightforward. The book contains both familiar recipes (some with a novel or speedy twist) and a selection of more unusual recipes that draw on international cuisine, contemporary palates, and the availability of many exciting ingredients in the supermarket. Experienced cooks will find new inspiration, and less confident cooks will discover that success can come with every meal.

The Author

With heritage like Valentina Harris’s, it is no wonder she is such a well-respected authority on Italian food and food culture. Tracing her family back to 1369 through the illustrious Sforza dynasty, Valentina is the youngest member of a large Anglo-Italian family of gourmets. Educated in Italy, Valentina brought  her qualifications for teaching and cooking from Rome to London in 1976, where she built her reputation as a private chef until the publication of her first award-winning cookery book in 1984: Perfect Pasta. This fabulous chunky little hardback published by New Holland, (what an extensive, varied and impressive cookbook list they have), at the bargain price of NZ$24.99 The publishers have kindly allowed me to reproduce one of the recipes from the book (which I have made and can warmly recommend) and it is  extracted with permission from 500 Pasta Dishes: The only pasta compendium you’ll ever need by Valentina Sforza, photography by Ian Garlick.  Produced by Quintet and published in New Zealand by New Holland, $24.99. Pasta with pancetta & mushrooms    This is a very tasty pasta dish for everyone who loves the wonderful combination of crispy pancetta or bacon with creamy mushrooms. 6 tbsp. cubed pancetta 200g (6 oz.) cups fresh mushrooms, wiped clean and thinly sliced 2 tbsp. unsalted butter 1 clove finely chopped garlic 3 tbsp. double cream Salt and freshly ground black pepper 400g (14 oz.) macaroni or other chunky pasta shape 3 tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1 tbsp. fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped Fry the pancetta in a non-stick frying pan until brown and crisp. In a separate frying pan, fry the mushrooms, butter, and garlic together until the mushrooms are soft and well dried out. Stir in the cream, season with salt and pepper, remove from the heat and keep warm. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Put the pasta into the water and stir thoroughly. Replace the lid and return to the boil. Remove or adjust the lid once the water is boiling again. Cook according to the packet instructions until al dente. Drain, and return to the pot. Pour over  the pancetta, mushroom, and cream sauce and toss together thoroughly, then add half the  cheese and toss again. Transfer on to a warm platter or individual warmed plates and sprinkle  with the rest of the Parmesan cheese and the parsley to serve.