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Pasta for All Seasons

Dishes that Celebrate the Flavors of Italy and the Bounty of the Pacific Northwest

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Hardcover
$22.95 US
6.99"W x 8.25"H x 0.76"D   | 18 oz | 24 per carton
On sale Apr 25, 2023 | 176 Pages | 9781632174277
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Authentic Italian flavors and cooking techniques join forces with seasonal, regional ingredients for a delicious and deceptively simple collection of 50 pasta dishes for vegetarians, meat-lovers, and pescatarians alike.

Fresh ingredients, fresh pasta, innovative dishes. What’s not to like? Rising Seattle chef Michela Tartaglia has developed 50 seasonal recipes that showcase the best of Northwest seafood, produce, and meat in creative, deeply satisfying pasta dishes. 

Using favorite ingredients such as salmon and clams and foodie favorites like nettles and chanterelles, this book offers home cooks dishes that are as comforting as a favorite spaghetti or fettucine dish but as bold and exciting as a hot new restaurant entrée. In addition, a pasta primer helps home cooks make fresh pasta at home and choose the right pasta shape for the right sauce or dish.

Recipes include:
• Conchiglie Rigate with Pacific Northwest Wild Fiddlehead Fern, Leek, and Walnut Pesto, Fiore Sardo, and Aleppo Pepper
• Orecchiette with Pacific Northwest Spot Prawns, Purple Asparagus, and Lemon
• Pipe with Pacific Northwest Morels, Pancetta, Walnuts, Ricotta, and Saffron
• Bucatini all'Amatriciana with Billy's Heirloom Tomatoes
• Creste di Gallo with Eggplant, ’Nduja, Supersweet Tomatoes, and Ricotta Salata
• Pappardelle with Golden Chanterelles, Sausage, and Thyme
• Spaghettoni with Red Beet Pesto, Burrata, Basil, and Calabrian Chili Oil
• Rigatoni with Pacific Northwest Elk Ragú, Juniper Berries, and Bay Leaves
• Casarecce with Pacific Northwest Manila Clams, Chickpeas, and Cherry Tomatoes
• Lasagna Casalinga: Lasagna from the Forest

This collection of creative yet accessible recipes will up your pasta game all year long. Buon appetito!
“I love pasta! I love Michela making me pasta even more. Lucky for us, in this beautiful book she shares delicious and approachable recipes celebrating the seasons, pasta, and the Pacific Northwest!” 
—Renee Erickson, James Beard Award–winning chef, restaurateur, and author 

“Fine, go have a bowl of pasta if that’s all you want. You can get that anywhere. If you would prefer a bowl of passion, a bowl of desire, a bowl of uncontainable deliciousness, you might need a wee bit of guidance. Michela will drag you by your taste buds down a path of authenticity with a smidge of ‘we got this’ and a huge dollop of ‘where has this book been all my life?’! Your pasta repertoire will never be the same. Own it!”
Tom Douglas, James Beard Award-winning chef, restaurateur, and author

" . . . beautiful new cookbook from Seattle’s Michela Tartaglia, Pasta for All Seasons. Give it to yourself, then bring a friend to lunch at Tartaglia’s lovely Pasta Casalinga in Pike Place Market and give them a copy, too."
Seattle Times
Michela Tartaglia is an Italian native, born in the province of Turin, Piedmont. She moved to Seattle in 2006 after completing her master's degree in philosophy at Alma Mater Studiorum–Univeristy of Bologna, and has since made Seattle her adopted city. Her passion for linguistics and languages is captured in her first book, Una Mela al Giorno, published in Italy by Nomos Edizioni. She is a chef by heart more than by trade. She cofounded Pasta Casalinga, an intimate lunch spot in the heart of Pike Place Market. Since its opening in 2018, it's become a destination for locals and visitors alike.
Pasta for Every Season
Pasta every day. Pasta in all its glorious forms, textures, and shapes. Pasta for your body, pasta for your brain, but, really, it’s about pasta for your soul. Per capita, Italians eat an average of sixty-two pounds of pasta annually, which means tucking into a plate of pasta goodness three to four times a week. We eat it mainly for lunch, but it’s certainly on the menu for dinner as well. It’s a national point of pride, “an icon of Italian cooking” (says Massimo Montanari in A Short History of Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce), and something that we could never give up. And why would we want to?

Not to sound dramatic, but I literally cannot imagine my life without a bowl of pasta in it. It’s never boring because when you add fresh, seasonal ingredients, the possibilities (pasta-bilities?) are limitless.

Don’t get me wrong. You can have an excellent pasta, but with a lackluster or pedestrian sauce, your dish is ruined. Or you can cook a wonderful sauce, but combined with a poor-quality pata, the result will be subpar.

This small but mighty publication is unmistakably a pasta book, but the fresh ingredients—particularly ingredients from the Pacific Northwest (or PNW, as we affectionately call it)—are the stars of the show.

When we opened Pasta Casalinga in Pike Place Market, we wanted to focus on fresh pasta making, crafted in small batches, created with quality flour and perfectly cooked al dente. And we wanted to lean into local and seasonal ingredients, from the stinging nettles that appear on the Olympic Peninsula during springtime to the Pacific golden chanterelles in the fall.

Here, you will find my favorite local ingredients paired with pasta. The chapters are organized by season and the recipes are labeled with icons to indicate whether they are from the ocean (featuring seafood), from the farm (featuring raised meats), or from the garden (all vegetarian). In other words, there is a pasta option for everyone.

Cooking seasonally and, therefore, eating seasonally has always been the only choice in my family. I grew up in a small town near Turin in the Piedmont region of Italy before globalization, which meant having asparagus exclusively in the spring and green beans only in the summertime. I am grateful for my upbringing because I learned the importance of knowing where your food comes from and when it is available. For me, that translates into refusing to eat certain foods at certain times of the year. Asparagus in December? Inconceivable!

The dishes here are not secret family recipes, which often seems to be the thing that’s valued when talking about Italian cooking. Is it my nonna’s recipe? Is it going to taste like it came from the streets of Naples? Sometimes yes but mostly no. Infused with my Italian sensibilities, culture, and training, these recipes are a tribute to the PNW and combine classic flavors with creative twists designed to showcase the local bounty. Italian through and through, I am a pasta lover who is continually inspired to cook with the seasons. I hope that they can encourage you to let the ingredients be your guide when cooking and to find many ways to incorporate fresh produce, seafood, and meats into pasta dishes. It’s the best way to feed your soul.

 
Sample recipe from Spring:

Gigli con pesto di ortiche e noci, ricotta salata e olio di peperoncino calabrese
/ Gigli with Olympic Peninsula Stinging Nettle and Walnut Pesto, Ricotta Salata, and Calabrian Chili Oil

Ortiche—or nettles—are unquestionably a sign of spring in the Pacific Northwest. This gorgeous region has a bounty of nettles ready to be harvested usually starting in April, when the plants are still young and tender. Hiking to a secret spot to forage nettles is a quintessential local activity, although it is common to find wild nettles in the backyards of many houses on the Olympic Peninsula and surrounding areas. Searching for nettles brings back memories of when I was a young kid in Italy: I used to go foraging with my nonna behind the little wine cellar we had at the farm. There were so many nettles waiting to be picked, processed, and cooked in a frittata religiously made with fresh brown eggs. Here, I’ve developed a nettle pesto recipe that incorporates what should be a must-have seasonal condiment for anyone living in the PNW.

Makes 4 servings

3 to 4 ounces young stinging nettles
1/2 cup raw walnuts
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 ounces gigli pasta
1/3 cup grated ricotta salata
2 tablespoons Calabrian chili oil
8 to 10 edible spring flowers

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. In the meantime, put on gloves and clean the nettles, removing the stems and keeping just the leaves. Rinse the leaves, then blanch them in the boiling water for less than a minute. Cool them down under cold water or in an ice bath.

When the nettles are cool, drain them, making sure to remove the excess water. In a food processor on low speed, blend the nettles, walnuts, olive oil, and Parmigiano, until the pesto is creamy, but not liquified (it should still have some texture). Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the gigli until al dente and drain. In a medium pan over medium heat, quickly sauté the pasta and pesto for 1 minute, adding pasta water as necessary to bind the ingredients.

Plate in four bowls. Finish with the grated ricotta salata, a drizzle of Calabrian chili oil, and a couple of edible flowers. Enjoy the spring season on a plate.

Tips:
Be sure to wear gloves to avoid being stung by the nettles. Blanching them is a necessary step to neutralize the stinging part.

If you have access to a good amount of nettles, you can prepare a lot of pesto in jars, and store them in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for a couple of months. Just make sure to cover up the pesto in each jar with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil to prevent oxidation.
Contents

Pasta for Every Season
 
A Pasta Primer
Pasta senza uova / Eggless Pasta
Pasta all’uovo / Egg Pasta
 
Spring
Ziti con pesto di spinaci e mandorle, Beecher’s Flagship, e cayenne africano / Ziti with Baby Spinach, Almond, and Beecher’s Flagship Pesto and African Cayenne

Gigli con pesto di ortiche e noci, ricotta salata e olio di peperoncino calabrese
/ Gigli with Olympic Peninsula Stinging Nettle and Walnut Pesto, Ricotta Salata, and Calabrian Chili Oil

Conchiglie rigate con cime di felce del Pacific Northwest e porro, noci, Fiore Sardo e pepe di Aleppo
/ Conchiglie Rigate with Pacific Northwest Wild Fiddlehead Fern, Leek, and Walnut Pesto, Fiore Sardo, and Aleppo Pepper

Radiatori con pesto di germogli di pisello, pistacchi, pecorino e olio di jalapeño
/ Radiatori with Pea Shoot and Pistachio Pesto, Pecorino, and Jalapeño Chili Oil

Penne con pancetta, piselli, porro e crème fraîche
/ Penne with Pancetta, Sweet Peas, Leeks, and Crème Fraîche

Orecchiette con gamberi del Pacific Northwest, asparagi viola e limone
/ Orecchiette with Pacific Northwest Spot Prawns, Purple Asparagus, and Lemon

Tagliolini con halibut fresco, asparagi, mandorle e sommacco / Tagliolini with Halibut, Asparagus, Almonds, and Sumac

Pipe con spugnole, pancetta, noci, ricotta e zafferano / Pipe with Pacific Northwest Morels, Pancetta, Walnuts, Ricotta, and Saffron

Reginette con sugo di agnello di Lopez Island / Reginette with Lopez Island Lamb Sugo

Paccheri con polpo gigante del Pacific Northwest, patate, olive Castelvetrano e capperi / Paccheri with Giant Pacific Octopus, Potatoes, Castelvetrano Olives, and Capers

Ziti con trota salmonata, fave e menta / Ziti with Pacific Northwest Steelhead, Fava Beans, and Mint

Pipe con radicchio, pancetta, noci e gorgonzola dolce / Pipe with Spring Radicchio, Pancetta, Walnuts, and Gorgonzola Dolce
 
Summer

Pappardelle con fegatini di pollo alla veneziana e cipolla rossa sottaceto / Pappardelle with Venetian-Style Chicken Liver and Red Pickled Onions

Fusilli con purè di cipolle Walla Walla, noci, formaggio Twin Sisters Farmhouse, and peperoncini Mama Lil’s / Fusilli with Walla Walla Sweet Onion and Walnut Puree, Twin Sisters Farmhouse with Whole Peppercorn Cheese, and Mama Lil’s Spicy Peppers

Farfalle con salmone sockeye del Pacific Northwest, carciofi marinati e capperi fritti / Farfalle with Wild Pacific Northwest Sockeye Salmon, Marinated Artichokes, and Fried Capers

Paccheri con tonno alalunga fresco, melanzane, capperi e menta / Paccheri with Wild Pacific Northwest Albacore Tuna, Eggplant, Capers, and Mint

Fusilli con zucchine, limone, menta, mandorle tostate e fiori di zucca fritti / Fusilli with Zucchini, Mint, Toasted Almonds, and Fried Zucchini Blossoms

Ziti con pesto di rucola, zenzero e noci, ricotta salata, and olio di peperoncino habanero / Ziti with Arugula, Ginger, and Walnut Pesto, Ricotta Salata, and Red Habanero Chili Oil

Creste di gallo con crema di peperone giallo, ricotta salata, friggitelli e Aleppo pepper / Creste di Gallo with Yellow Bell Pepper Puree, Ricotta Salata, Padrón Peppers, and Aleppo Pepper

Caserecce con granchio del Pacific Northwest, asparagi e zenzero / Caserecce with Pacific Northwest Crab, Asparagus, and Ginger

Tagliolini con caviale di salmone al profumo di limone e pepe Szechuan / Tagliolini with Salmon Roe Caviar, Lemon, and Sichuan Pepper

Bucatini all’amatriciana con pomodori cimelio di Billy / Bucatini all’Amatriciana with Billy’s Heirloom Tomatoes

Pipe con salsiccia all’uva di Chelan e rosmarino / Pipe with Local Sausage, Chelan Grapes, and Rosemary

Creste di gallo con melanzane, ’nduja, pomodorini e ricotta salata / Creste di Gallo with Eggplant, ’Nduja, Supersweet Tomatoes, and Ricotta Salata
 
Fall
Caserecce con carbonaro marinato al miso, cavolo cinese e semi di sesamo nero / Miso-Marinated Alaskan Black Cod, Baby Bok Choy, and Black Sesame Seeds

Bucatini con crema di cavolfiore e vaniglia del Madagascar, capesante, nocciole arrostite e sumac / Bucatini with Cauliflower and Vanilla Bean Puree, Pacific Northwest Baby Pink Scallops, Roasted Hazelnuts, and Sumac

Gigli con crema di zucca e cannella, formaggio sirene bulgaro, and semi di girasole tostati / Gigli with Pumpkin Puree, Bulgarian Sirene Cheese, and Toasted Sunflower Seeds

Conchiglie rigate con crema di zucca delicata, burrata, semi nigella e cayenne africano / Conchiglie Rigate with Delicata Squash Puree, Burrata, Nigella Seeds, and African Cayenne

Pappardelle con finferli, salsiccia e timo / Pappardelle with Golden Chanterelles, Sausage, and Thyme
Tagliolini al tartufo bianco dell’Oregon / Tagliolini with Oregon White Truffle

Reginette con porcini, speck e zafferano / Reginette with Pacific Northwest Porcini, Speck, and Saffron

Penne con verza saltata, fontina della Valle D’Aosta, cumino e semi nigella / Penne with Savoy Cabbage, Fontina, Cumin, and Nigella Seeds

Fettuccine con lingcod del Pacific Northwest, cavolfiore viola, olive Castelvetrano e capperi / Fettuccine with Pacific Northwest Lingcod, Purple Cauliflower, Castelvetrano Olives, and Capers

Gemelli con cozze Penn Cove, ceci e capperi / Gemelli with Penn Cove Mussels, Chickpeas, and Capers

Orecchiette con scarola, ’nduja e burrata / Orecchiette with Escarole, ’Nduja, and Burrata

Rigatoni con crema di romanesco, pecorino e bacon croccante / Rigatoni with Romanesco Puree, Pecorino, and Crunchy Bacon
 
Winter
Orecchiette con salsiccia calabrese piccante sbriciolata e cime di rapa / Orecchiette with Crumbled Calabrian Spicy Sausage, and Rapini

Fusilli con pesto di salvia e pinoli, uova di quaglia e pepe di Aleppo / Fusilli with Pine Nut and Sage Pesto, Quail Eggs, and Aleppo Pepper

Caserecce con vongole Manila clams, ceci e pomodorini / Caserecce with Pacific Northwest Manila Clams, Chickpeas, and Cherry Tomatoes

Spaghetti alla chitarra ai ricci di mare del Pacific Northwest e mollica di pane tostata al limone / Spaghetti with Pacific Northwest Sea Urchin and Toasted Lemon Breadcrumbs

Spaghettoni con purea di rape rosse, burrata, basilico e olio di peperoncino calabrese / Spaghettoni with Red Bloody Beet Pesto, Burrata, Basil, and Calabrian Chili Oil

Radiatori con crema di carote invernali, mozzarella di bufala, semi nigella e curcuma / Radiatori with Pacific Northwest Winter Carrot Puree, Buffalo Mozzarella, Nigella Seeds, and Turmeric

Linguine al nero di seppia, ceci e bottarga di muggine / Squid Ink Linguine with Chickpeas and Bottarga

Bucatini con puttanesca al geoduck del Pacific Northwest / Bucatini with Pacific Northwest Geoduck Puttanesca

Ziti con patate, pancetta e provola affumicata / Ziti with Potatoes, Pancetta, and Smoked Scamorza

Rigatoni con ragù di alce / Rigatoni with Pacific Northwest Elk Ragù, Juniper Berries, and Bay Leaves

Pasta e fagioli / Pasta and Beans

Pappardelle con ragù bianco di coniglio, melograno e pepe rosa / Pappardelle with Tomato-less Rabbit Ragù, Pomegranate, and Pink Pepper
 
Anytime
Pasta al Pomodoro / Pasta with Traditional San Marzano Tomato Sauce

Lasagna Casalinga: Lasagna alla Boscaiola / Lasagna from the Forest
 
Acknowledgments
Resources
Index

Photos

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About

Authentic Italian flavors and cooking techniques join forces with seasonal, regional ingredients for a delicious and deceptively simple collection of 50 pasta dishes for vegetarians, meat-lovers, and pescatarians alike.

Fresh ingredients, fresh pasta, innovative dishes. What’s not to like? Rising Seattle chef Michela Tartaglia has developed 50 seasonal recipes that showcase the best of Northwest seafood, produce, and meat in creative, deeply satisfying pasta dishes. 

Using favorite ingredients such as salmon and clams and foodie favorites like nettles and chanterelles, this book offers home cooks dishes that are as comforting as a favorite spaghetti or fettucine dish but as bold and exciting as a hot new restaurant entrée. In addition, a pasta primer helps home cooks make fresh pasta at home and choose the right pasta shape for the right sauce or dish.

Recipes include:
• Conchiglie Rigate with Pacific Northwest Wild Fiddlehead Fern, Leek, and Walnut Pesto, Fiore Sardo, and Aleppo Pepper
• Orecchiette with Pacific Northwest Spot Prawns, Purple Asparagus, and Lemon
• Pipe with Pacific Northwest Morels, Pancetta, Walnuts, Ricotta, and Saffron
• Bucatini all'Amatriciana with Billy's Heirloom Tomatoes
• Creste di Gallo with Eggplant, ’Nduja, Supersweet Tomatoes, and Ricotta Salata
• Pappardelle with Golden Chanterelles, Sausage, and Thyme
• Spaghettoni with Red Beet Pesto, Burrata, Basil, and Calabrian Chili Oil
• Rigatoni with Pacific Northwest Elk Ragú, Juniper Berries, and Bay Leaves
• Casarecce with Pacific Northwest Manila Clams, Chickpeas, and Cherry Tomatoes
• Lasagna Casalinga: Lasagna from the Forest

This collection of creative yet accessible recipes will up your pasta game all year long. Buon appetito!

Praise

“I love pasta! I love Michela making me pasta even more. Lucky for us, in this beautiful book she shares delicious and approachable recipes celebrating the seasons, pasta, and the Pacific Northwest!” 
—Renee Erickson, James Beard Award–winning chef, restaurateur, and author 

“Fine, go have a bowl of pasta if that’s all you want. You can get that anywhere. If you would prefer a bowl of passion, a bowl of desire, a bowl of uncontainable deliciousness, you might need a wee bit of guidance. Michela will drag you by your taste buds down a path of authenticity with a smidge of ‘we got this’ and a huge dollop of ‘where has this book been all my life?’! Your pasta repertoire will never be the same. Own it!”
Tom Douglas, James Beard Award-winning chef, restaurateur, and author

" . . . beautiful new cookbook from Seattle’s Michela Tartaglia, Pasta for All Seasons. Give it to yourself, then bring a friend to lunch at Tartaglia’s lovely Pasta Casalinga in Pike Place Market and give them a copy, too."
Seattle Times

Author

Michela Tartaglia is an Italian native, born in the province of Turin, Piedmont. She moved to Seattle in 2006 after completing her master's degree in philosophy at Alma Mater Studiorum–Univeristy of Bologna, and has since made Seattle her adopted city. Her passion for linguistics and languages is captured in her first book, Una Mela al Giorno, published in Italy by Nomos Edizioni. She is a chef by heart more than by trade. She cofounded Pasta Casalinga, an intimate lunch spot in the heart of Pike Place Market. Since its opening in 2018, it's become a destination for locals and visitors alike.

Excerpt

Pasta for Every Season
Pasta every day. Pasta in all its glorious forms, textures, and shapes. Pasta for your body, pasta for your brain, but, really, it’s about pasta for your soul. Per capita, Italians eat an average of sixty-two pounds of pasta annually, which means tucking into a plate of pasta goodness three to four times a week. We eat it mainly for lunch, but it’s certainly on the menu for dinner as well. It’s a national point of pride, “an icon of Italian cooking” (says Massimo Montanari in A Short History of Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce), and something that we could never give up. And why would we want to?

Not to sound dramatic, but I literally cannot imagine my life without a bowl of pasta in it. It’s never boring because when you add fresh, seasonal ingredients, the possibilities (pasta-bilities?) are limitless.

Don’t get me wrong. You can have an excellent pasta, but with a lackluster or pedestrian sauce, your dish is ruined. Or you can cook a wonderful sauce, but combined with a poor-quality pata, the result will be subpar.

This small but mighty publication is unmistakably a pasta book, but the fresh ingredients—particularly ingredients from the Pacific Northwest (or PNW, as we affectionately call it)—are the stars of the show.

When we opened Pasta Casalinga in Pike Place Market, we wanted to focus on fresh pasta making, crafted in small batches, created with quality flour and perfectly cooked al dente. And we wanted to lean into local and seasonal ingredients, from the stinging nettles that appear on the Olympic Peninsula during springtime to the Pacific golden chanterelles in the fall.

Here, you will find my favorite local ingredients paired with pasta. The chapters are organized by season and the recipes are labeled with icons to indicate whether they are from the ocean (featuring seafood), from the farm (featuring raised meats), or from the garden (all vegetarian). In other words, there is a pasta option for everyone.

Cooking seasonally and, therefore, eating seasonally has always been the only choice in my family. I grew up in a small town near Turin in the Piedmont region of Italy before globalization, which meant having asparagus exclusively in the spring and green beans only in the summertime. I am grateful for my upbringing because I learned the importance of knowing where your food comes from and when it is available. For me, that translates into refusing to eat certain foods at certain times of the year. Asparagus in December? Inconceivable!

The dishes here are not secret family recipes, which often seems to be the thing that’s valued when talking about Italian cooking. Is it my nonna’s recipe? Is it going to taste like it came from the streets of Naples? Sometimes yes but mostly no. Infused with my Italian sensibilities, culture, and training, these recipes are a tribute to the PNW and combine classic flavors with creative twists designed to showcase the local bounty. Italian through and through, I am a pasta lover who is continually inspired to cook with the seasons. I hope that they can encourage you to let the ingredients be your guide when cooking and to find many ways to incorporate fresh produce, seafood, and meats into pasta dishes. It’s the best way to feed your soul.

 
Sample recipe from Spring:

Gigli con pesto di ortiche e noci, ricotta salata e olio di peperoncino calabrese
/ Gigli with Olympic Peninsula Stinging Nettle and Walnut Pesto, Ricotta Salata, and Calabrian Chili Oil

Ortiche—or nettles—are unquestionably a sign of spring in the Pacific Northwest. This gorgeous region has a bounty of nettles ready to be harvested usually starting in April, when the plants are still young and tender. Hiking to a secret spot to forage nettles is a quintessential local activity, although it is common to find wild nettles in the backyards of many houses on the Olympic Peninsula and surrounding areas. Searching for nettles brings back memories of when I was a young kid in Italy: I used to go foraging with my nonna behind the little wine cellar we had at the farm. There were so many nettles waiting to be picked, processed, and cooked in a frittata religiously made with fresh brown eggs. Here, I’ve developed a nettle pesto recipe that incorporates what should be a must-have seasonal condiment for anyone living in the PNW.

Makes 4 servings

3 to 4 ounces young stinging nettles
1/2 cup raw walnuts
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 ounces gigli pasta
1/3 cup grated ricotta salata
2 tablespoons Calabrian chili oil
8 to 10 edible spring flowers

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. In the meantime, put on gloves and clean the nettles, removing the stems and keeping just the leaves. Rinse the leaves, then blanch them in the boiling water for less than a minute. Cool them down under cold water or in an ice bath.

When the nettles are cool, drain them, making sure to remove the excess water. In a food processor on low speed, blend the nettles, walnuts, olive oil, and Parmigiano, until the pesto is creamy, but not liquified (it should still have some texture). Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the gigli until al dente and drain. In a medium pan over medium heat, quickly sauté the pasta and pesto for 1 minute, adding pasta water as necessary to bind the ingredients.

Plate in four bowls. Finish with the grated ricotta salata, a drizzle of Calabrian chili oil, and a couple of edible flowers. Enjoy the spring season on a plate.

Tips:
Be sure to wear gloves to avoid being stung by the nettles. Blanching them is a necessary step to neutralize the stinging part.

If you have access to a good amount of nettles, you can prepare a lot of pesto in jars, and store them in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for a couple of months. Just make sure to cover up the pesto in each jar with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil to prevent oxidation.

Table of Contents

Contents

Pasta for Every Season
 
A Pasta Primer
Pasta senza uova / Eggless Pasta
Pasta all’uovo / Egg Pasta
 
Spring
Ziti con pesto di spinaci e mandorle, Beecher’s Flagship, e cayenne africano / Ziti with Baby Spinach, Almond, and Beecher’s Flagship Pesto and African Cayenne

Gigli con pesto di ortiche e noci, ricotta salata e olio di peperoncino calabrese
/ Gigli with Olympic Peninsula Stinging Nettle and Walnut Pesto, Ricotta Salata, and Calabrian Chili Oil

Conchiglie rigate con cime di felce del Pacific Northwest e porro, noci, Fiore Sardo e pepe di Aleppo
/ Conchiglie Rigate with Pacific Northwest Wild Fiddlehead Fern, Leek, and Walnut Pesto, Fiore Sardo, and Aleppo Pepper

Radiatori con pesto di germogli di pisello, pistacchi, pecorino e olio di jalapeño
/ Radiatori with Pea Shoot and Pistachio Pesto, Pecorino, and Jalapeño Chili Oil

Penne con pancetta, piselli, porro e crème fraîche
/ Penne with Pancetta, Sweet Peas, Leeks, and Crème Fraîche

Orecchiette con gamberi del Pacific Northwest, asparagi viola e limone
/ Orecchiette with Pacific Northwest Spot Prawns, Purple Asparagus, and Lemon

Tagliolini con halibut fresco, asparagi, mandorle e sommacco / Tagliolini with Halibut, Asparagus, Almonds, and Sumac

Pipe con spugnole, pancetta, noci, ricotta e zafferano / Pipe with Pacific Northwest Morels, Pancetta, Walnuts, Ricotta, and Saffron

Reginette con sugo di agnello di Lopez Island / Reginette with Lopez Island Lamb Sugo

Paccheri con polpo gigante del Pacific Northwest, patate, olive Castelvetrano e capperi / Paccheri with Giant Pacific Octopus, Potatoes, Castelvetrano Olives, and Capers

Ziti con trota salmonata, fave e menta / Ziti with Pacific Northwest Steelhead, Fava Beans, and Mint

Pipe con radicchio, pancetta, noci e gorgonzola dolce / Pipe with Spring Radicchio, Pancetta, Walnuts, and Gorgonzola Dolce
 
Summer

Pappardelle con fegatini di pollo alla veneziana e cipolla rossa sottaceto / Pappardelle with Venetian-Style Chicken Liver and Red Pickled Onions

Fusilli con purè di cipolle Walla Walla, noci, formaggio Twin Sisters Farmhouse, and peperoncini Mama Lil’s / Fusilli with Walla Walla Sweet Onion and Walnut Puree, Twin Sisters Farmhouse with Whole Peppercorn Cheese, and Mama Lil’s Spicy Peppers

Farfalle con salmone sockeye del Pacific Northwest, carciofi marinati e capperi fritti / Farfalle with Wild Pacific Northwest Sockeye Salmon, Marinated Artichokes, and Fried Capers

Paccheri con tonno alalunga fresco, melanzane, capperi e menta / Paccheri with Wild Pacific Northwest Albacore Tuna, Eggplant, Capers, and Mint

Fusilli con zucchine, limone, menta, mandorle tostate e fiori di zucca fritti / Fusilli with Zucchini, Mint, Toasted Almonds, and Fried Zucchini Blossoms

Ziti con pesto di rucola, zenzero e noci, ricotta salata, and olio di peperoncino habanero / Ziti with Arugula, Ginger, and Walnut Pesto, Ricotta Salata, and Red Habanero Chili Oil

Creste di gallo con crema di peperone giallo, ricotta salata, friggitelli e Aleppo pepper / Creste di Gallo with Yellow Bell Pepper Puree, Ricotta Salata, Padrón Peppers, and Aleppo Pepper

Caserecce con granchio del Pacific Northwest, asparagi e zenzero / Caserecce with Pacific Northwest Crab, Asparagus, and Ginger

Tagliolini con caviale di salmone al profumo di limone e pepe Szechuan / Tagliolini with Salmon Roe Caviar, Lemon, and Sichuan Pepper

Bucatini all’amatriciana con pomodori cimelio di Billy / Bucatini all’Amatriciana with Billy’s Heirloom Tomatoes

Pipe con salsiccia all’uva di Chelan e rosmarino / Pipe with Local Sausage, Chelan Grapes, and Rosemary

Creste di gallo con melanzane, ’nduja, pomodorini e ricotta salata / Creste di Gallo with Eggplant, ’Nduja, Supersweet Tomatoes, and Ricotta Salata
 
Fall
Caserecce con carbonaro marinato al miso, cavolo cinese e semi di sesamo nero / Miso-Marinated Alaskan Black Cod, Baby Bok Choy, and Black Sesame Seeds

Bucatini con crema di cavolfiore e vaniglia del Madagascar, capesante, nocciole arrostite e sumac / Bucatini with Cauliflower and Vanilla Bean Puree, Pacific Northwest Baby Pink Scallops, Roasted Hazelnuts, and Sumac

Gigli con crema di zucca e cannella, formaggio sirene bulgaro, and semi di girasole tostati / Gigli with Pumpkin Puree, Bulgarian Sirene Cheese, and Toasted Sunflower Seeds

Conchiglie rigate con crema di zucca delicata, burrata, semi nigella e cayenne africano / Conchiglie Rigate with Delicata Squash Puree, Burrata, Nigella Seeds, and African Cayenne

Pappardelle con finferli, salsiccia e timo / Pappardelle with Golden Chanterelles, Sausage, and Thyme
Tagliolini al tartufo bianco dell’Oregon / Tagliolini with Oregon White Truffle

Reginette con porcini, speck e zafferano / Reginette with Pacific Northwest Porcini, Speck, and Saffron

Penne con verza saltata, fontina della Valle D’Aosta, cumino e semi nigella / Penne with Savoy Cabbage, Fontina, Cumin, and Nigella Seeds

Fettuccine con lingcod del Pacific Northwest, cavolfiore viola, olive Castelvetrano e capperi / Fettuccine with Pacific Northwest Lingcod, Purple Cauliflower, Castelvetrano Olives, and Capers

Gemelli con cozze Penn Cove, ceci e capperi / Gemelli with Penn Cove Mussels, Chickpeas, and Capers

Orecchiette con scarola, ’nduja e burrata / Orecchiette with Escarole, ’Nduja, and Burrata

Rigatoni con crema di romanesco, pecorino e bacon croccante / Rigatoni with Romanesco Puree, Pecorino, and Crunchy Bacon
 
Winter
Orecchiette con salsiccia calabrese piccante sbriciolata e cime di rapa / Orecchiette with Crumbled Calabrian Spicy Sausage, and Rapini

Fusilli con pesto di salvia e pinoli, uova di quaglia e pepe di Aleppo / Fusilli with Pine Nut and Sage Pesto, Quail Eggs, and Aleppo Pepper

Caserecce con vongole Manila clams, ceci e pomodorini / Caserecce with Pacific Northwest Manila Clams, Chickpeas, and Cherry Tomatoes

Spaghetti alla chitarra ai ricci di mare del Pacific Northwest e mollica di pane tostata al limone / Spaghetti with Pacific Northwest Sea Urchin and Toasted Lemon Breadcrumbs

Spaghettoni con purea di rape rosse, burrata, basilico e olio di peperoncino calabrese / Spaghettoni with Red Bloody Beet Pesto, Burrata, Basil, and Calabrian Chili Oil

Radiatori con crema di carote invernali, mozzarella di bufala, semi nigella e curcuma / Radiatori with Pacific Northwest Winter Carrot Puree, Buffalo Mozzarella, Nigella Seeds, and Turmeric

Linguine al nero di seppia, ceci e bottarga di muggine / Squid Ink Linguine with Chickpeas and Bottarga

Bucatini con puttanesca al geoduck del Pacific Northwest / Bucatini with Pacific Northwest Geoduck Puttanesca

Ziti con patate, pancetta e provola affumicata / Ziti with Potatoes, Pancetta, and Smoked Scamorza

Rigatoni con ragù di alce / Rigatoni with Pacific Northwest Elk Ragù, Juniper Berries, and Bay Leaves

Pasta e fagioli / Pasta and Beans

Pappardelle con ragù bianco di coniglio, melograno e pepe rosa / Pappardelle with Tomato-less Rabbit Ragù, Pomegranate, and Pink Pepper
 
Anytime
Pasta al Pomodoro / Pasta with Traditional San Marzano Tomato Sauce

Lasagna Casalinga: Lasagna alla Boscaiola / Lasagna from the Forest
 
Acknowledgments
Resources
Index

Staff Picks + Upcoming Titles: April

April showers bring… fabulous new books! Master your morning routine with The Good Morning Journal. Get a head start on grilling season with The Outdoor Cook, and get excited about Disney’s upcoming re-make of The Little Mermaid with This is Ariel. April is full of great titles to discover. See our staff pick lists below to

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