Growing up I ate more than my fair share of Italian takeout. There were a couple of different places in the neighborhood that we got food from, depending on whether we were picking up or getting delivery. They all had their specialties. Lilian's was the closest. We always got their special pizza or heroes from there. It was only a block away, but the downside was that we had to walk over and pick up the food. A&J's was the other place we got pizza from. They delivered but it did take longer for the pizza to arrive. They had our favorite cheese pizza and a veggie special that was cheese-less and loaded with roasted vegetables. Mike's was who we called for pasta dishes. They had a great antipasto salad, baked ziti, baked ziti siciliano (with fried eggplant), stuffed shells and lasagna. It's funny to think that all these dishes had basically the same ingredients in different compositions. One night when my friend Jackie was over for dinner, we ordered from Mike's, and I discovered that you could get spaghetti and meatballs parmigiano, with a layer of mozzarella cheese melted over the top and it rocked my world. Wasn't everything better with a layer of melted cheese on top?
Fast forward many years and not much has changed, except I make the pasta dinner myself instead of having it delivered. We always have fresh mozzarella, ricotta, and Rao's in the house. It makes a last minute comfort food meal easy. Almost any type of pasta will do, although Alex prefers the short noodles in these types of preparations. Once your pasta is cooked, it comes together in a flash. Warm the sauce in the pan and add the al dente pasta and some cooking water. Mix well, dollop with ricotta cheese and layer on the mozzarella. Stick the whole thing under the broiler while you make the salad and you've got dinner. Skillet pasta and salad makes everyone happy--as long as we don't have it every night...
Years Past
March 11, 2006
Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work
Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook
Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table
