The Cartoccio Technique is one of the most spectacular ways of serving pasta -- boiled, sauced, wrapped in paper, and baked. As a preparation method this may sound odd, but your guests will greet the arrival of the packets at the table with mounting anticipation that will turn to joy as they open them and savor the aromas that burst forth. Here we also use shrimp; to serve 4:
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 1/4 pound very fresh shrimp
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1/4 pound ripe plum tomatoes, blanched, peeled and seeded
- 1/3 cup minced onion
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- A small bunch parsley, minced
- Salt and red pepper to taste
- 1 pound spaghetti
Preparation:
Blanch the shrimp in lightly salted water, then shell them, discarding head and legs as well. Finely slice the onion and sauté with the garlic it in a little olive oil. When the garlic has browned, fish it out and discard it, and simmer the tomato sauce for a minute or two. Add the minced parsley, tomatoes, shelled shrimp, red pepper to taste (go easy), salt to taste, and simmer the sauce for about 5 minutes.
While you are preparing the sauce set a pot of water on the fire; when it boils add the pasta. Let it cook until half done, then drain it into a colander, and transfer it while it is still dripping to the skillet with the sauce. Toss the pasta-sauce mixture by moving the skillet as you would if you were flipping an omelette. Roll out a long sheet of aluminum foil and fold up the sides to make a box-like container. Transfer the pasta to the container, fold the aluminum foil over it, and crimp the edges together to make a sealed pouch (you can also make individual pouches for your guests if you wish). Bake in the oven for 5 minutes, at which point the pouch will have puffed up. Slide it onto a serving dish and open it at the table.
These shrimp would also work quite nicely as an antipasto, served in a bowl ringed by slices of toasted bread. In this case you will want to boil the tomato sauce down to thicken it somewhat before you add the other ingredients.
Most Cartoccio recipes are more elaborate than this, something that should come as no surprise since paste al cartoccio is one of the standard dishes people prepare for romantic occasions.
A wine? A Greco di Tufo, or a Franciacorta if you'd rather bubbly.
While you are preparing the sauce set a pot of water on the fire; when it boils add the pasta. Let it cook until half done, then drain it into a colander, and transfer it while it is still dripping to the skillet with the sauce. Toss the pasta-sauce mixture by moving the skillet as you would if you were flipping an omelette. Roll out a long sheet of aluminum foil and fold up the sides to make a box-like container. Transfer the pasta to the container, fold the aluminum foil over it, and crimp the edges together to make a sealed pouch (you can also make individual pouches for your guests if you wish). Bake in the oven for 5 minutes, at which point the pouch will have puffed up. Slide it onto a serving dish and open it at the table.
These shrimp would also work quite nicely as an antipasto, served in a bowl ringed by slices of toasted bread. In this case you will want to boil the tomato sauce down to thicken it somewhat before you add the other ingredients.
Most Cartoccio recipes are more elaborate than this, something that should come as no surprise since paste al cartoccio is one of the standard dishes people prepare for romantic occasions.
A wine? A Greco di Tufo, or a Franciacorta if you'd rather bubbly.
