Let me take you on a zesty citrus pasta experience, a colorful and flavorful escape from the usual pasta meals that often grace your dinner table. This delectable dish is a joy to both cook and eat, making it an ideal candidate for a speedy midweek dinner. Pair it with a refreshing salad, and you’ve got a harmoniously balanced meal.
This dish might seem out of the ordinary, and indeed it was met with puzzled expressions when I first served it to my daughters. They wondered aloud, “What prompted this unique culinary venture?” Their question took me back to a cherished chapter from my early years.
In our childhood days in the Catskills, my friend David and I took on separate newspaper delivery routes. Our weekends typically involved late deliveries, after which we’d rendezvous at one of our homes. One such Sunday led me to his home where they were feasting on bowls of mouthwatering rigatoni. They generously shared a bowl, and I was instantly hooked!
Maybe my heightened hunger, after delivering countless newspapers along the county’s longest route, amplified my senses. But I believe the true hero was the unforgettable orange pasta sauce. Its vivid, zesty notes captured my palate and the memory lingered, igniting a desire to recreate it. This nostalgia, I explained to my daughters, was the muse for this citrus pasta dish. I can’t rationalize the delay before I finally materialized it in my kitchen, but I suppose it’s true, “better late than never!”
Ingredients
- 8 oz. short pasta (like rigatoni or penne, 225g)
- 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 4 oz. pancetta or bacon (115g; optional, can be excluded for a vegetarian variant)
- 1 medium-sized onion, sliced thin
- 3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 cup of fresh orange juice
- ½ cup of tomato puree
- Seasoning – salt and pepper as per preference
- 1/3 cup of half-and-half or heavy cream (80 ml)
- ¼ cup of grated Parmesan cheese (25g)
- Fresh zest from 1/2 an orange
- ½ cup of julienned fresh basil
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with salted water and bring it to a boil before adding the pasta. In parallel, warm a skillet on medium heat, drizzle in the olive oil, and toss in the pancetta/bacon (if including). Let the pancetta achieve a crispy texture, then introduce the onion and garlic. Cook until they reach a caramelized stage, which should take around 10 minutes.
- Proceed by pouring in the orange juice and tomato puree, simmering the mixture. Season with salt and pepper as per your taste, and mix in the half-and-half. Drain your boiled pasta, but retain some of the cooking liquid. Add the pasta and parmesan cheese into the sauce, stirring well. If the sauce seems too thick, loosen it up with a splash of the saved pasta water.
- Conclude by folding in the orange zest and fresh basil. Give the pasta a taste test, adjust the seasoning if necessary, and it’s ready to serve!
Apart from adding a unique twist to your pasta repertoire, the zesty citrus pasta is a host of health benefits. Oranges are celebrated for their abundant vitamin C content, enhancing immunity and promoting skin health. The olive oil, loaded with heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, and basil, packed with antioxidants, contribute to its nutritional profile. Opting for whole-grain pasta can further raise the dish’s nutritional value by supplementing fiber and vital nutrients. For a vegan twist, simply skip the pancetta/bacon and swap the dairy ingredients with plant-based substitutes. Savor this lively, tangy pasta dish that caters to various dietary preferences while offering a burst of flavors!