SAM ON THE RADIO:
Cooking to Beat the Clock on A Chef's Table

Hasta La Pasta:
Pasta with Rapid Ratatouille Sauce

Pasta is perhaps the ultimate convenience food because it cooks so quickly and can be combined with almost anything. When I get home, the first thing I do is put the pasta cooking water on the stove. Then I open the fridge, freezer, or cupboard to see what’s available. One night it might be canned chickpeas and roasted red bell peppers from a jar; another night it's frozen peas, eggs, and bacon, or perhaps some fresh zucchini and eggplant. That's why I often call my impromptu pasta meals “throw togethers.”

While pasta takes very little time to cook, most people need more than 15 minutes. However, you can turn out a pasta dish in 15 minutes if you follow three tips. First, start with hot tap water. Some people don’t like to cook with hot tap water because they are unsure of the quality of the water.  If you prefer to use cold tap water, you'll need to add a few minutes to the cooking time of the pasta in the recipe below. (There is no documented evidence of any harm done by using hot tap water in cooking. In addition, unlined hot water tanks have been replaced by safer ones lined with fiberglass. Lead pipes have been replaced with safer pipes made of copper or plastic.)

Secondly, divide the water into two pots, one of which should be large enough to hold all the water when the contents of the two pots are combined. When you use two pots, the pasta water comes to a boil much faster, usually in 8 to 10 minutes. The larger pot should have a capacity of 8 quarts. A large pot prevents boiling over, something you don't want to be concerned about when you're scurrying to make the sauce.

The third key is the pasta itself. I use capellini or angel hair dried pasta because it cooks in 4 minutes or less once the water comes to a boil. Other dried pastas take anywhere from a few minutes to 10 minutes longer. Any fresh pasta that is not stuffed (such as ravioli) will cook as fast as or faster than dried capellini. Most supermarkets now carry a variety of fresh pastas.

Ratatouille usually takes upwards of an hour to prepare. Not my version, which is even better when local basil and tomatoes are available

Pasta with Rapid Ratatouille Sauce

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 3 cloves garlic

• 1 medium onion, about 8 ounces

• 10 to 12 ounces eggplant (about 2 Japanese or baby eggplants)

• 1 green bell pepper

• 2 small to medium zucchini, 10 to 12 ounces

• Two 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes

• 2 teaspoons salt plus more to taste

• 12 ounces dried capellini (angel hair) or any fresh unstuffed pasta

• 20 large basil leaves

• 1/2 cup pitted oil-cured olives

• Freshly ground black pepper

• Red pepper flakes to taste

• Grated Parmesan passed at the table

1) Run the hot-water tap and put 2 quarts hot tap water in each of 2 pots (one large enough to eventually hold all the water and pasta). Cover and bring both pots to a boil over high heat, 8 to 10 minutes.

2) Meanwhile, put the oil in a 12-inch saute pan, Dutch oven, or wok over medium heat. Peel the garlic. Drop the garlic down the chute of a food processor with the motor running to finely chop. Stop the motor, then peel and quarter the onion. Add the onion to the food processor. Pulse just until chopped. (The garlic and onion can also be chopped by hand.) Add to the saute pan, stir, and increase the heat to high.

3) Cut the eggplant into 1/2-inch cubes. (Do not peel.) Add to the saute pan and stir. Cut the top from the bell pepper. Stand it upright and cut down inside the four walls, separating the walls from the center core and seeds. Then cut the walls and top into thin strips. Add to the saute pan and stir. Trim the ends of the zucchini. Cut into quarters, lengthwise, then crosswise into 1/2-inch wide pieces. Add to the saute pan and stir. Open the cans of tomatoes and add to the saute pan. Stir and cover.

4) As soon as the pasta water boils, pour the water from the smaller pot into the larger pot. Add 2 teaspoons salt and the pasta. Stir well, cover, and return to a boil. Stir well again, partially cover, and cook for about 4 minutes, stirring at least one more time, or until the pasta is done to your taste.

5) While the pasta cooks, stack the basil leaves, roll in cigar fashion, and cut crosswise into thin ribbons. Coarsely chop the olives. Add all but 2 tablespoons of the basil, the olives, and salt, black pepper, and hot pepper flakes to taste to the saute pan. Lower the heat to medium, stir well and cook, uncovered, until the pasta is done.

6) When the pasta is cooked, drain, and divide among 4 individual soup plates or pasta bowls. Spoon the ratatouille sauce over each and sprinkle with the remaining chopped basil. Serve with grated Parmesan at the table.

Serves 4

Per serving: 549 calories, 15 grams protein, 83 grams carbohydrate, 19 grams fat, 2.5 grams saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 1229 mg sodium.