Like so many of us during the days of quarantine, Ornella Fado – creator and host of the Brindiamo! television series – has been very busy in the kitchen.
“I think the current situation has really brought ‘the chef within’ out in everyone,” said Fado. “I have been cooking at least two times a day every day, plus breakfast.”
Fado (of course) has hundreds of recipes from chefs – as her TV show has featured many Italian restaurants in the US since 2005. From all those recipes, she chose to share one she learned to make from a dear friend and chef Marcello Russodivito during the filming of her TV show at his restaurant Marcello's. The recipe was prepared to honor the 150th anniversary of the Unification of Italy (March 17, 1861.)
A red, white and green baked pasta made with a pea and tomato purée, is indeed the perfect dish to celebrate the national Italian holiday of Festa della Repubblica on June 2 (Republic Day, 1946.)
“Because we all feel very patriotic at this time, and because I want to feel closer to my home country, I’d like to share this easy, delicious recipe with you, and of course, I want to make a toast – or should I say ‘Brindiamo!’ – to Italy and to La Cucina Italiana.”
The Recipe: Rigatoni Tricolore with Pea Purée, Tomato Sauce and Parmigiano Reggiano by Ornella Fado
Serves 4
Ingredients:
For the pea purée:
1 onion, chopped
1 lb frozen peas
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 oz extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
For the tomato sauce:
1lb. San Marzano tomatoes, chopped
2 oz. extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp oregano
1 clove of garlic
1 lb rigatoni pasta
1 oz butter
Grated parmigiano reggiano cheese
Method:
First, prepare the pea purée. Heat olive oil in a saucepan. Add onion and sauté for a couple of minutes. Then add the peas and allow cook for another minute or two. Next, add the broth or stock and bring to a boil. Then transfer everything to a blender. Purée and strain the sauce to filter out the skins. Keep the purée warm.
For the tomato sauce, heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add garlic and sauté. Once garlic is golden-brown, remove it and add the chopped tomatoes. Season with salt and oregano. Cook until the sauce is reduced, for about 3-4 minutes. Place the sauce aside and keep warm.
Cook the pasta al dente. Drain the pasta, leaving a little cooking water and transfer to a pan. Add butter and parmigiano reggiano cheese. The dish should be assembled in 3 layers: The pasta will be in the middle with the pea purée on one side and tomato sauce on the other.