Category: Pasta

Pasta · Poultry

Chicken in a pot with lemon and orzo

Belinda

This is a fabulous, easy, one-pot meal from Nigella Lawson. Healthy comfort food at it’s best.

Serves: 4-6

2 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter
1 (approx. 3½lb or bigger) chicken (preferably free-range and organic)
Zest and juice of 2 unwaxed lemons
6-7 cups chicken stock
3 fat cloves of garlic peeled and chopped
2 medium to large carrots (1lb)
2 medium to large leeks (1lb)
2 tsp kosher salt
Ground pepper
½ teaspoon chile flakes
2 teaspoons dried tarragon
1¾ cups orzo pasta
1 bunch Italian parsley to give 6 tablespoons finely chopped leaves, plus more to serve
Some fresh tarragon, chopped for sprinkling over at the end

Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/350°F.
Untruss the chicken, if it comes trussed, and remove all the string.
Prepare the vegetables: peel and cut the carrots into batons; cut the trimmed leeks into smallish rounds, approx ¾-1 inch.

Heat the oil/butter in a large heavy-based casserole/ Dutch oven with a tightly fitting lid.
I use an enamelled cast iron oval casserole 12 long, in which the chicken fits neatly, leaving just a small space all around it to fit the vegetables later.
Place the chicken in the hot oil/butter breast side down to color the skin; I do this over high heat for about 3 minutes, until the skin is richly golden. Then turn the chicken the right way up.

Turn down the heat, or take the pan off the heat completely, and aiming for the space around the chicken, add the lemon zest, garlic (obviously some can end up on the chicken itself) and give it a quick stir into the oil/butter as best you can.

Scatter in the prepared vegetables around the chicken, followed by the salt, chile flakes (if using) and dried tarragon.

Measure 6¼ cups of chicken stock into a measuring jug.
Pour 5 cups of the chicken stock into the chicken pot at first, and then, gradually, pour in the remaining stock until the liquid comes up about two thirds of the leg of the chicken, leaving the golden breast clearly untouched by a small margin. Now add the lemon juice.

Turn up the heat and bring the pot to a boil, leaving it uncovered. Poke the vegetables down with a fork if they bob up too much.
Once boiling clamp on the lid and put into the preheated oven for 1 hour 15 minutes.

Take the pot out of the oven and stir in the orzo, around the edges of the chicken, and then put the lid on again, and put the casserole back in the oven for another 15 minutes, by which time the orzo should be soft and swollen.

Take out of the oven and remove the lid, then let it stand for 15 minutes, giving the orzo a bit of a stir to loosen any that has stuck to the bottom of the pan. The orzo will continue to soak up some of the broth as it stands.

Stir in 4 tablespoons of the freshly chopped parsley/tarragon, and then sprinkle over the remaining 2 tablespoons, and put more on the table to serve alongside. You could add the parsley once you’ve shredded the chicken, but it looks so wonderful in its pot, I love to bring to the table whole.

To serve, put a small dish by the casserole, then strip off the meat from the chicken, removing the skin and bones to the dish.
I find it easiest to do this while the chicken’s still in the pot, but it you prefer you can try and remove it to a carving board; go carefully as it’s likely to fall to pieces a bit as you do so.
Stir the meat and orzo again before serving, adding more parsley as you do so, or let grateful eaters add their own as they wish.
You may also want to offer parmesan to grate over.

Meat · Pasta

Italian Sausage Zucchini Orzo

Belinda

This Italian Sausage Zucchini Orzo recipe is easy to make in one pot with a zesty tomato-basil sauce.

1lb Italian sausage (spicy, mild or sweet)
1 medium onion, diced
1 zucchini, diced
4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
1 (14-oz) can tomato sauce
1 ½ cups beef or chicken stock
⅓ cup heavy cream
½ cup chopped fresh basil
½ cup Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
4oz (about 2 large handfuls) fresh baby spinach
Fine sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Cook the sausage and veggies.
Heat a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the sausagemeat and cook until browned, using a wooden spoon to break up and stir the sausage occasionally as it cooks.
Stir in the onion, zucchini, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes and continue cooking for 5 to 6 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion has softened.
Simmer.
Add the orzo, tomato sauce, beef (or chicken) stock and stir to combine. Continue cooking until the sauce reaches a simmer, stirring the pasta frequently so that it does not stick and burn on the bottom of the pan. Reduce heat to medium-low or whatever temperature is needed to maintain a low simmer. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the orzo is al dente.
The sauce will become fairly thick, but if you believe it needs more liquid, just add in more stock as needed to finish cooking the pasta.
Add the final ingredients. Stir in the heavy cream, basil, Parmesan and baby spinach until the spinach begins to wilt.
Season. Taste and season with salt, pepper and/or additional basil if needed.
Serve warm, garnished with lots of freshly-grated Parmesan, and enjoy!

Pasta

Melted fennel pasta

Belinda

This recipe from Bon Appetite magazine celebrates all that fennel has to offer in a weeknight pasta that comes together in less than an hour. Thinly sliced fennel is slowly cooked down with onion and garlic, yielding a caramelized, jammy mixture. Anchovies and Parmesan bring savory balance, while lemon zest and juice contribute brightness. Garnishing with the fronds lends fresh fennel flavor to every bite.

There are plenty of ways to customize this dish to your own palate. Don’t like anchovies? No worries—skip them. Want to take it to a meaty place? Cook Italian sausage in the skillet, set it aside, and cook the fennel in the sausage fat. Prefer a little more sweetness? Deglaze the skillet with white wine. And for even more fennel flavor, cook the stalks along with the pasta; just pluck them out before draining.

Serves 4

3 large fennel bulbs with fronds (about 3 lb. total)
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more
1 tsp. sugar
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 oil-packed anchovy fillets
½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
12 oz. gemelli, fusilli, or other medium pasta
1 oz. Parmesan, finely grated (about ½ cup)
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Cut stalks from 3 large fennel bulbs with fronds and cut fronds from stalks; discard stalks. Coarsely chop fronds and set aside. Remove tough out layer from bulbs and discard. Halve bulbs lengthwise (through root ends) and remove cores; discard. Thinly slice bulbs crosswise.

Heat ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium. Add fennel bulbs, 1 medium onion, thinly sliced, 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and 1 tsp. sugar; stir to combine. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent and fennel is beginning to brown around the edges, 8–10 minutes. Uncover and add 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped, 3 oil-packed anchovy filets, and ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally and reducing heat as needed to avoid scorching (stir in a splash of water if scorching does occur), until fennel and onion are deep golden brown and very soft and jammy, 15–20 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook 12 oz. gemelli, fusilli, or other medium pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until just shy of al dente, about 1 minute less than package directions.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer pasta to pot with sauce. Add 1 oz. Parmesan, finely grated (about ½ cup), 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, and 2 cups pasta cooking liquid. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring often, until sauce clings to pasta, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup reserved fennel fronds, 1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest, and 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice. Taste and season with more salt if needed.

Divide pasta among shallow bowls and top with more reserved fennel fronds.

Pasta · Vegetarian pasta

Creamy lemon, feta, zucchini orzo

Belinda

Recipe from food blog, Hungry Happens

Serves 8
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 sweet onion, diced (large shallot)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb orzo pasta uncooked
2 medium zucchini, grated
1 large lemon, zested + juiced
1 tsp Italian herb seasoning
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3½ cups chicken broth (or veggie broth)
1 cup whole milk
5 oz Greek feta cheese, crumbled
2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
optional garnish: olive oil, lemon juice, chili flakes + dill
instructions
In a large skillet, heat your olive oil on medium. Add in the onion and saute for 2 minutes. Add in the garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add in the orzo and stir for one minute to coat. Toss in the zucchini shreds and stir for 2 minutes. Mix in the lemon juice, lemon zest, Italian herb seasoning, salt and pepper to taste, chicken broth and milk. Bring to a boil then lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 10-12 minutes or until the pasta is tender. If it needs more liquid, add some broth in to keep the texture creamy, not dry.
When the pan is off the heat, stir in your crumbled feta and dill.
To serve, top with a nice drizzle of olive oil, chili flakes and enjoy!

Do-ahead · Meat · Pasta

Sheetpan layerless lasagna

Belinda

Recipe from Giada de Laurentis

Lovers of crispy lasagna edges, this one’s for you! This spin on the classic dish isn’t only easier (no tedious layering required) but it ensures more perfectly crisp bites all throughout. Broken up lasagna pieces, or taccole pasta, make it feel more layered than your average baked pasta.
Feel free to assemble this ahead of time and refrigerate until it’s time to serve – then pop it in the oven when it’s time to eat.

Serves 6
4 tbsp olive oil, divided
1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more for the pasta water
1lb taccole pasta or lasagne pasta broken into 2-inch pieces
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 (5- oz) container baby spinach
1 cup part skim ricotta cheese
1lb spicy Italian sausage, casings removed
1 red onion, diced
4 cups jarred marinara sauce (Rao is the best one)
2 1/2 cups shredded low moisture mozzarella, divided
1 1/2 cups freshly grated parmesan cheese, divided

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Oil a straight sided 12 x 17-inch baking sheet with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Set aside.

Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil along with the garlic and pepper flakes to the hot pan. Cook, stirring often until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the spinach and the salt and cook, stirring often, until the spinach is almost completely wilted, another minute. Remove the spinach mixture to a strainer and press firmly to remove any excess liquid. Place the spinach in a medium bowl. Using a pair of kitchen scissors, slice up the spinach into chopped pieces. Add the ricotta cheese and stir to combine. Set aside.

Using a paper towel, wipe out the skillet and bring it back to medium heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan along with the sausage and cook, undisturbed until the sausage is beginning to brown on the first side, about 3 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, break apart the sausage into bite sized pieces.
Continue to cook, stirring often and breaking apart as needed, until the sausage is lightly browned, another 5 minutes. Add the onion to the pan and cook until the onion is fragrant and beginning to soften, another 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Be sure it is a large enough pan to allow the pasta to swim freely. Season generously with salt. Cook the pasta for 4 minutes stirring often to avoid clumping. Drain well, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water.

While the pasta is cooking, add the marinara to the pan with the sausage and onion and mix well. Add the pasta water, pasta, 1 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup parmesan cheese to the same pan and stir to combine.
Spread the entire mixture on the prepared 12 x 17-inch baking sheet.
Dollop the pasta with the ricotta-spinach mixture, and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 cups mozzarella and 1 cup parmesan cheeses.
Bake until the pasta is tender, the sauce is bubbly, and the top is lightly browned, about 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before cutting into squares and serving.

Fish · Pasta

Easy creamy prawn linguine

Belinda

Recipe from food blog, Skinny Spatula

Creamy prawn linguine (linguine con gamberi) is the stuff pasta dreams are made of. Smothered in a creamy garlic sauce with lemon, this prawn and pasta recipe is ideal for date night or simply when you feel like a treat.

Serves 4

350 g (12 oz.) linguine
30 g (1 oz.) butter
250 g (9 oz.) shrimp
4-5 garlic cloves
100 ml (1/2 cup) dry white wine
1/2 tsp Italian herbs
1/4 tsp red chili flakes
200 ml (1 cup) double cream
2 tbsp creme fraiche
25 g (1 ounce) grated Parmesan
Juice of half a lemon
Freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley

Boil the linguine two minutes less than recommended on the package.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large pan, add the prawns and cook for five minutes until slightly brown.
Add the garlic and cook for a minute until fragrant.
Add the wine, herbs, and chili flakes and simmer for 5 minutes until the wine evaporates.
Stir in the double cream, creme fraiche, and parmesan, cook for another minute until all creamy and bubbly and stir the pasta in.
Season to taste, add the lemon juice and parsley and serve immediately.

Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Meat · Pasta · Vegan

Stir-Fried Udon Noodles With Pork and Scallions

Belinda

Recipe from Bon Appetite Magazine

With chewy noodles, well-browned ground pork, and crunchy cabbage, this take on yaki udon (stir-fried udon noodles) gets its flavor from an umami-rich punch of soy sauce and mirin, a sweet Japanese rice wine. (You might recognize the combination from teriyaki recipes.) It also has green onions for a fresh bite and a drizzle of sesame oil for nutty depth. You can easily make it vegetarian: Simply omit the pork and sub in 8 oz. shiitake or crimini mushrooms instead.

If you don’t have mirin in your pantry already, it’s easily found in many larger grocery stores, East Asian markets, and online. Some brands may be labeled “aji-mirin.” This common product is an imitation of true mirin (the name translates to “tastes like mirin”). Whatever you find will be delicious in this recipe, but if you spot hon-mirin (a.k.a. true mirin, which is quite a bit more expensive) it makes the dish even more special.

This is a weeknight-ready, quick-fire udon noodle recipe, so prepping your ingredients before you start cooking is a smart move. See the step-by-step instructions here.

Serves 4

2 tbsp avocado or vegetable oil, divided
4 cups very coarsely chopped green cabbage (from about ¼ medium head)
2 7-oz packages instant udon noodles, flavor packets discarded
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
8 oz ground pork
5 scallions, white and pale-green parts coarsely chopped, dark-green parts thinly sliced
2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger (from a 1-inch knob)
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
⅓ cup mirin
⅓ cup soy sauce
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds, plus more for serving

Step 1

Heat 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add cabbage and cook, tossing often, until edges are browned, about 4 minutes. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook, tossing often, until thickest parts of cabbage leaves are tender, about 4 minutes longer. Remove from heat and set skillet aside.

Step 2

Place udon in a large heatproof bowl (or pot if you don’t have one) and cover with 6 cups boiling water. Let sit 1 minute, stirring to break up noodles, then drain in a colander. Transfer noodles back to bowl and toss with sesame oil. Transfer cabbage to bowl with noodles. Wipe out skillet.

Step 3

Heat remaining 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil in same skillet over medium-high and add pork, breaking up and spreading across surface of pan with a spatula or tongs. Cook pork, undisturbed, until underside is brown, about 3 minutes. The pork will never brown if you’re fussing with it the whole time, so when we say “undisturbed,” that means keep your paws off it and let the heat of the pan and the pork do their thing. When pork is browned, break up meat into small bits. Cook, tossing, just until there’s no more pink, about 1 minute.
Add chopped scallions (the pale parts), ginger, and red pepper. Continue to cook, tossing often, until scallions are softened and bottom of skillet has started to brown, about 1 minute. Add udon mixture, mirin, and soy sauce and cook, tossing constantly, until noodles are coated in sauce (be sure to scrape bottom of skillet to dissolve any browned bits), about 45 seconds. Remove from heat and fold in 1 Tbsp. sesame seeds and dark-green parts of scallions.
Top with more sesame seeds before serving.

Pasta · Vegetarian pasta

Butternut squash lasagna pie

Belinda

Recipe by Yotam Ottolenghi.
This would be super as a Holiday main course for vegetarians.

“This comforting dish lands somewhere between a lasagna and a pie. Thinly sliced butternut squash and broken dried lasagna noodles are all tossed together in one bowl with cheese, spices and a red pepper sauce, then pressed into a cake pan before baking, at which point everything softens and cooks together into imperfectly perfect layers. A simple béchamel topping is made while your pie is in the oven, leaving you ample time to get on with assembling a big salad or a side dish of your choosing.”

Serves 6

For the Pie
¼ cup olive oil, plus more for greasing the pan
8 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp cumin seeds, roughly crushed in a mortar and pestle
1 tbsp coriander seeds, roughly crushed in a mortar and pestle
2 tsp Aleppo chile flakes
1 (12-oz) jar red peppers, drained
1 tsp light brown sugar
Fine sea salt and black pepper
1 small butternut squash (about 1 ¾ lbs), peeled, halved, deseeded and cut into ⅛-inch-thick slices
8 oz dried lasagna noodles, each roughly broken into 3 or 4 pieces
7 oz baby spinach (10 lightly packed cups)
1 packed cup basil leaves, torn in halves
1 cup crumbled Greek feta
Heaping ½ cup finely grated Parmesan

For the Béchamel
3 tbsp unsalted butter
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
1½ cups whole milk, plus more if needed
2 garlic cloves, minced
Fine sea salt
¼ cup finely grated Parmesan

Step 1
Make the pie: Heat the oven to 400F degrees.
Grease a 9-inch springform cake pan then line it with a piece of parchment paper large enough to cover the base and hang over the sides by a couple inches; set aside.

Step 2
Add the oil to a small frying pan and heat over medium-high. Once it’s hot, add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute, stirring until fragrant but not browned. Add the tomato paste, cumin, coriander and chile flakes and cook for 1 minute more, stirring often, until deeply red. Set aside to cool slightly, then add to a small food processor with the red peppers, sugar, ½ teaspoon salt and a good grind of pepper; blitz until smooth.

Step 3
Empty the mixture into a very large bowl and add the squash, lasagna sheets, spinach, basil, feta, Parmesan, 1¼ teaspoons salt and a good grind of pepper. Use your hands to make sure everything is nicely coated. Transfer this mixture to your lined cake pan, adding a third at a time and pressing lightly to ensure everything is even and compact. Using heavy-duty aluminum foil, wrap the cake pan all around until tightly sealed, place on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour.

Step 4
Toward the last 15 minutes of baking time, make the béchamel: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking steadily, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until it starts to smell like popcorn. Slowly pour in the milk ½ cup at a time, whisking with each addition until fully incorporated. Turn the heat down to medium then add the garlic and ¼ teaspoon salt. Use a spatula to stir and cook for 2 minutes, stirring to ensure the bottom doesn’t scorch, until nice and smooth. Off the heat, stir in the Parmesan. If the pie isn’t done, cover the top with a piece of parchment paper to prevent a skin from forming. The béchamel is easier to handle when warm; if needed, reheat gently with a splash of milk to loosen.

Step 5
After the pie has cooked for 1 hour, remove it from the oven and carefully unwrap the top foil and paper, crinkling it down and around the sides of the pan to expose the top. Spoon the béchamel on top, using a spatula to distribute it evenly over the surface. (Take care not to mix it with the base; you want the béchamel to remain white.)

Step 6
Turn the oven temperature up to 450 degrees, place the cake pan back on its baking sheet and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, rotating halfway through, until nicely browned on top. Set aside to cool for at least 15 minutes.

Step 7
Carefully release the pie from the springform pan, loosening the outer ring then using the parchment to help lift it onto a serving plate or board. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Pasta · Salad · Vegan

Cold Noodle Salad With Spicy Peanut Sauce

Belinda

Recipe from New York Times

Serves 4

“Soba, Japanese buckwheat noodles, are ideal for salads because they taste particularly great when served cold. Crunchy vegetables are highlighted here, adding lots of crisp, fresh texture. Substitute with any raw vegetables you have on hand, such as cabbage, carrot, fennel, asparagus, broccoli or cauliflower. The spicy peanut sauce is very adaptable: If you don’t want to use peanut butter, you can use any nut or seed butter, like cashew, almond, sunflower or even tahini. Both the soba and the peanut sauce can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the fridge overnight, but wait to combine them until you are ready to eat for the best texture and consistency. The peanut sauce thickens as it sits, so add a tablespoon or two of water to loosen it up, if necessary.”

FOR THE SALAD:
Kosher salt
10 oz soba noodles
1 medium zucchini or cucumber (about 6 ounces)
5 radishes (about 4 ounces)
1 bell pepper (any color)
1 tbsp sesame oil
½ cup roasted salted peanuts (about 2 ounces), roughly chopped
2 scallions, trimmed and finely chopped
Handful of cilantro leaves
1 lime, cut into wedges for serving

FOR THE SPICY PEANUT SAUCE:
½ cup smooth peanut butter (not natural)
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp lime juice (from 1 lime)
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tsp chili oil or hot sauce, plus more to taste
1 garlic clove, grated

Bring a pot of salted water to the boil. Add the soba, stir to prevent sticking, and cook according to package instructions until just tender. Rinse under cold water until the noodles are completely cold.

Meanwhile, make the sauce: In a medium bowl, combine the peanut butter, soy sauce, maple syrup, lime juice, sesame oil, chili oil or hot sauce, and garlic. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and whisk until the sauce is a pourable consistency. Taste and add more chili oil or hot sauce as desired; set aside.

Cut the zucchini or cucumber and radishes into 1/8-inch thick slices, then cut into thin matchsticks. Slice the peppers into 1/8-inch pieces. Place them all in a large bowl.
Loosen the soba noodles by running them under some water, then allow to drain again. Add them to the vegetables, add the remaining 1 tablespoon sesame oil and toss to combine.

When you are ready to serve, drizzle with spicy peanut sauce and top with peanuts, scallions and cilantro. Serve immediately, with lime wedges alongside.

Pasta

San Francisco-Style Vietnamese American Garlic Noodles

Belinda

Recipe by J. Kenji López-Alt for the New York Times

These noodles, based on the noodle dish originally created and served by Helene An at San Francisco’s Thanh Long restaurant, are extraordinarily simple and delicious on their own, but that doesn’t mean you can’t fancy them up a bit. They go very well with seafood, and some raw, shell-​on shrimp stir-​fried along with the garlic right from the start would be an excellent addition. Sushi-​style flying fish roe (tobiko) or salmon roe (ikura) would also be a great addition, as would chunks of crab or lobster meat, or even Western-​style caviar (if you’re feeling flush).

Serves 4

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
20 medium garlic cloves, minced or smashed in a mortar and pestle
4 teaspoons oyster sauce
2 teaspoons light soy sauce or shoyu
2 teaspoons fish sauce
1 pound dry spaghetti
1 ounce grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano (heaping 1/4 cup)
A small handful of thinly sliced scallions (optional)

Melt the butter in a wok or saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant but not browned, about 2 minutes. Add the oyster sauce, soy sauce and fish sauce, and stir to combine. Remove from the heat.

Meanwhile, bring 1 1/2 inches of water to a boil in a 12-​inch skillet or sauté pan over high heat. (Alternatively, heat up just enough water to cover the spaghetti in a large Dutch oven or saucepan.) Add the pasta, stir a few times to make sure it’s not clumping, and cook, stirring occasionally, until just shy of al dente (about 2 minutes short of the recommended cook time on the package).

Using tongs, transfer the cooked pasta to the garlic sauce, along with whatever water clings to it. (Reserve the pasta water in the skillet.) Increase the heat to high, add the cheese to the wok, and stir with a wooden spatula or spoon and toss vigorously until the sauce is creamy and emulsified, about 30 seconds. If the sauce looks too watery, let it keep reducing. If it looks greasy, splash some more cooking water into it and let it re-​emulsify. Stir in the scallions (if using), and serve immediately.