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Even the most proficient Seamless orderer should have at least one stellar recipe up her sleeve. It’s a bit like knowing how to drive a stick shift, or like mastering CPR: The opportunity to show off may seldom arise, but when it does, one should be prepared.
Colu Henry’s just-released cookbook turns out to be a near-endless source for acquiring at least one of the aforementioned skills. Filled with more than 200 pages of recipes and tips, the lushly photographed tome is dedicated to a certain beloved and versatile pantry staple: pasta.
While cookbooks centered around the Italian favorite are certainly not hard to come by, Henry’s Back Pocket Pasta stands apart, thanks to an accessible blend of simplicity and innovation; most recipes require just a handful of ingredients, and every single one is sure to wow the pants off of whoever is lucky enough to get a taste. Best of all, there’s not a hint of pretense or complication involved. These are, as the book’s subtitle says, “inspired dinners to cook on the fly.”
“Pasta provides a great blank canvas for layering whatever savory flavors you’re craving,” explains Henry, whose career trajectory follows the the path of someone who has always been inclined toward the culinary: She’s done everything from working front of house at restaurants to heading up public relations and special projects at Bon Appétit. “I was coming home after long days and the most comforting thing for me to do was put on a pot of water and find odds and ends to make a simple, soulful meal. A lot of my recipes are born out of necessity.”
Necessity, sure, but also creativity. The recipes in Back Pocket read like elevated, “why didn’t I think of that?” riffs on familiar non-pasta dishes—the BLT-inspired rigatoni made with watercress, bacon, and fresh cherry tomatoes, for example; or the mouthwatering Tuscan kale “Caesar” garganelli tossed in an anchovy-flecked sauce and topped with a fried egg. The key to creating them, Henry says, is as simple as having basic ingredients on hand. “I go shopping once a week and stock up on seasonal produce, citrus, eggs, and fresh herbs. If you have a well-stocked pantry that includes nuts, breadcrumbs, canned tomatoes, tinned fish, and beans, you really just need to put water on to boil and you’re halfway to creating a back pocket pasta.”
Well-stocked pantry aside, there are a two more ingredients Henry is adamant about. The first? That starchy, salty pasta water. “It helps brings your sauce together,” she explains before ensuring that you can’t mess up. “If you add too much water, just add more cheese—it will emulsify the sauce and bring it back together.”
Below, Henry shares two favorite, easy-to-master recipes from her new book. “My biggest hope is that people will feel empowered in their kitchens to create simple dishes with quality ingredients and have the confidence to be creative,” she says. “Food doesn’t have to be complicated to taste great.”
Oh, and as for that second crucial ingredient? “Wine,” recommends Henry. “A lot of good wine.”
Lemony Spaghetti“The lemony pasta came about because during the long, cold winter months, I’m constantly looking for brightness in my food. Citrus is the answer! If you can get your hands on some Meyer lemons, please use them. Their flavor is sweeter than a regular lemon and somewhat less acidic. I often keep heaps of citrus around, and when I plate the spaghetti, I sometimes add grated orange or grapefruit zest on top for a pop of color and extra zip. I’ve recently decided that January is my favorite month to make salads. You’ve got beautiful colors abound, think beets and watermelon radishes, plus a blood orange always makes everything better.“ Serves 4.
3 lemons Kosher salt 3/4 lb. spaghetti 1 T olive oil 2 T unsalted butter 1/2 cup heavy cream 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving 5 oz. baby arugula Freshly ground black pepper
Zest and juice the lemons and set them aside separately. You should have about 2 tablespoons of zest and 1/2 cup of juice.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons of the salt and return to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, according to package directions.
When the pasta is about 5 minutes away from being al dente, heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and cook until melted, about 2 minutes. Add the cream and bring to a simmer, then add the lemon juice and half the zest and cook together for 2 minutes more or until slightly reduced.
Scoop the pasta directly into the skillet, stirring vigorously. Stir in 1/2 cup of pasta water along with the Parmesan and arugula. Toss to coat until the arugula wilts, adding 1/4 cup of pasta water or more (up to 1 cup), if needed, to loosen up the sauce.
Plate in bowls and garnish with the remaining lemon zest. Serve with Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper, if desired.
Smoky Garganelli alla Vodka“I’m a sucker for old-school, red sauce Italian joints. The food is never amazing, but hopefully you’re going for the vibes, which are high. My goal here was to take a classic American-Italian dish and actually make it delicious. I added the ’nduja, which is a spicy, spreadable sausage from Calabria. It dissolves into the sauce and leaves behind some heat as well as a smoky layer, which elevates the dish. It’s my favorite recipe in the book for nostalgia sake.“ Serves 4.
Kosher salt 3/4 lb. garganelli or penne 2 T olive oil 1 medium yellow onion, minced 2 cloves garlic, chopped 4 oz. ’nduja 3/4 cup vodka One 28-ounce can crushed San Marzano tomatoes Freshly ground black pepper 3/4 cup heavy cream 1/4 cup grated Grana Padano or Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving 2 T roughly chopped fresh oregano 2 T roughly chopped flat-leaf Italian parsley
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons of the salt and return to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, according to package directions.
While the pasta cooks, prepare the sauce: Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add the ’nduja (if using) and cook, stirring until it begins to melt, about 2 minutes.
Add the vodka to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes more to reduce by half. Stir in the tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low, stir in the cream, and cook 1 minute more.
Add the pasta and grated cheese directly to the skillet and toss to coat.
Plate in bowls and top with the oregano and parsley. Top with additional cheese and salt and pepper, if desired.
Serve with Caesar salad, garlic bread, and Chianti—and cue the Sinatra.