Masterclass
Cold Weather Comfort Pasta’s enduring comfort in a changed world.
R ECIPE + T E X T
Denise Marchessault S T Y L ING + PHO T OGR A PH Y
Deb Garlick
I
t’s no surprise global pasta sales surged during the pandemic. Pasta is comforting, inexpensive, and pairs well with most ingredients. In an uncertain world, we could all use a little pasta comfort now and then.
In this vegetarian recipe, pasta is stuffed with kale, sweet peppers, feta cheese, and marinated artichoke hearts. An intensely flavoured dish, the pasta is topped with fresh mozzarella and baked in a roasted pepper tomato sauce flecked with briny olives. The dish includes an entire bunch of kale, an excellent source of vitamins (K, A, and C) and enough antioxidants to overlook the carbs. Kale is a 22 FEBRUARY/MARCH 2021
heart-healthy vegetable that’s good for your immune system, especially valuable during a lingering pandemic. Pan-frying tames kale’s assertive flavour and the brief cooking does not drain all its nutrients. If you can’t find jumbo pasta shells, manicotti or cannelloni tubes are a nice alternative, but pasta shells are easier to fill. The pasta is cooked al dente, tender but with a bite. I thought I understood al dente until I travelled to Italy. Pasta there was much firmer than I anticipated. North Americans are accustomed to overcooking pasta, but it has a more satisfying “mouth feel” or texture with some resistance, especially when properly seasoned.
Which brings me to salt. Pasta water should be generously salted—that’s about two tablespoons of kosher salt (4 teaspoons of table salt) per gallon of water. Pasta is relatively bland, and the salt seasons the pasta throughout, making it much more flavourful. Be sure to reserve a cup of the pasta water before draining the pot. The starchy water thins the sauce, but more important, it helps the sauce cling to the pasta. (Try adding reserved pasta water to all your favourite sauces—from pesto to bolognese sauce—it makes such a difference to the outcome of your dish.) If you were taught (as I was) to add oil to the pasta water to prevent it from sticking together, it’s time to