Farfalle are butterflies, or bow ties, and one doesn't find them mentioned in older cookbooks, which suggests that the shape is relatively new. It's well thought out, however, because the pinch in the pasta does an excellent job of trapping and holding creamy sauces.
It's one of the standbys with smoked salmon sauce (which is perfect for a romantic occasion), but also does very nicely in a summery pasta with bell peppers and rucola, the bitter salad green known as arugola or rocket in the English-speaking world.
Before we get to the recipe, a couple of technical things:
Farfalle are about an inch (2.5 cm) long, and pinch down to a quarter inch in width in the middle, at which point they're also a quarter inch thick. The cooking time is about 12 minutes.
Substitutions: Fusilli, eliche, sedani (if the sauce isn't too chunky). And now:
Farfalle con Peperoni e Rucola. To serve 4:
Sauté the onion in the olive oil, and when the pieces begin to brown add the anchovy and the parsley, followed by the peppers and some of the rucola. Salt lightly if need be (the anchovies provide salt and a certain zestiness), and remove the sauce from the fire.
While it is cooling, cook the farfalle in lightly salted water. When they're done, drain them and turn them into the sauce. Stir in the remaining rucola and serve, with the grated Parmigiano for those who want it.
A variation: You can turn this into a tasty pasta salad by adding a diced mozzarella weighing about a half pound and a pound of blanched, peeled, chopped, and seeded tomatoes to the sauce, though in this case you will want to let it cool completely lest the mozzarella melt, and also chill the pasta by running it under cold water after draining it. Combine the seasonings and pasta, adding a little more olive oil if need be, and serve. Perfect picnic food!
More About Pasta Shapes
It's one of the standbys with smoked salmon sauce (which is perfect for a romantic occasion), but also does very nicely in a summery pasta with bell peppers and rucola, the bitter salad green known as arugola or rocket in the English-speaking world.
Before we get to the recipe, a couple of technical things:
Farfalle are about an inch (2.5 cm) long, and pinch down to a quarter inch in width in the middle, at which point they're also a quarter inch thick. The cooking time is about 12 minutes.
Substitutions: Fusilli, eliche, sedani (if the sauce isn't too chunky). And now:
Farfalle con Peperoni e Rucola. To serve 4:
- 14 ounces (350 g) farfalle
- 1/4 pound (100 g) red bell peppers
- 1/3 pound (150 g) yellow bell peppers
- 2 anchovy filets, split, bones and rinsed
- A small white onion, sliced
- 1/4 pound (100 g) arugola
- 1 tablespoon minced parsley
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Grated Parmigiano at table, for those who want it (I might not)
Sauté the onion in the olive oil, and when the pieces begin to brown add the anchovy and the parsley, followed by the peppers and some of the rucola. Salt lightly if need be (the anchovies provide salt and a certain zestiness), and remove the sauce from the fire.
While it is cooling, cook the farfalle in lightly salted water. When they're done, drain them and turn them into the sauce. Stir in the remaining rucola and serve, with the grated Parmigiano for those who want it.
A variation: You can turn this into a tasty pasta salad by adding a diced mozzarella weighing about a half pound and a pound of blanched, peeled, chopped, and seeded tomatoes to the sauce, though in this case you will want to let it cool completely lest the mozzarella melt, and also chill the pasta by running it under cold water after draining it. Combine the seasonings and pasta, adding a little more olive oil if need be, and serve. Perfect picnic food!
More About Pasta Shapes