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This Fast Pantry Pasta Has a Really Good TwistHere’s a confession: I’ve never cooked midnight pasta at midnight. Frankly, I can’t remember the last time I even stayed up until midnight, let alone used a stove at that hour. Usually I’m fast asleep by 11 p.m., or if not, I’m trying to be. But midnight pasta is still a mainstay in my kitchen, whipped up at 7 p.m. or any time I need a pantry dinner that’s fast, convenient and universally acclaimed by the household, including my teenager. I wrote about midnight pasta for my column in The New York Times this week, including some of my favorite ways to vary it. Fundamentally, it’s a dish made from the homey ingredients you’d find in any nonna’s kitchen — a handful of garlic, a glug of olive oil, a pinch of chile flakes. But like all of the best pantry recipes, it’s ripe for variation. I guarantee you have several midnight-pastable ingredients waiting in your cabinets right now. I created three new variations that reflect the contents of my kitchen on a typical weeknight. In one, I stir lemon slices into a panful of anchovies and capers to add brightness and tang while they caramelize alongside the garlic. Another features a can of white beans and some olives and fennel seeds, which cook down into a velvety sauce with a hint of licorice. Lastly, I use miso and soy sauce to double down on the savory umami notes. Any of these pastas will taste just as good no matter what hour you find yourself cooking them. Featured Recipe Pasta With Lemon, Capers and AnchoviesMore food for thought:One-pot chicken and rice with ginger: Inspired by a meal of fried rice and greens at Uncle Lou, a Cantonese restaurant in New York, Yasmin Fahr balances gingery, garlicky and tangy flavors in this bold one-pot meal. Set out extra soy and lime wedges so everyone can fine-tune their bowl to taste, and do remember to fish out those ginger slices before serving. Cod with harissa butter and lemon: A lovely new recipe from Nargisse Benkabbou, this aromatic fish dish comes together in about 15 minutes using a handful of ingredients. Cooking cod fillets in richly spiced harissa butter adds heat and fragrance, yielding a glossy, savory sauce that you’ll want to drizzle on everything from vegetables to rice or noodles, or even just scoop with flatbread. Be sure to add the harissa gradually, tasting as you go; different brands have different heat levels, and once it’s added, you can’t unadd it. Creamy white beans with herb oil: As you probably tell from one of those midnight pastas above, I’m partial to white beans, which I love to use in Colu Henry’s recipe — simmered with olive oil and garlic, then topped with lemony basil oil. Add a baguette and a glass of wine for the one of the simplest and most elegant of weeknight dinners. Spicy roasted shrimp and broccoli rabe: This dish uses one of my favorite techniques for cooking just about anything quickly: cranking up the oven and letting the high heat do its thing. Toss seasoned shrimp and broccoli rabe on a sheet pan and allow it roast for about 10 minutes. The resulting shrimp is tender and slightly charred, with bitter greens crispy at the edges — a satisfying dinner that requires almost no effort. Ice cream with olive oil and dates: If you have ice cream in the freezer, and olive oil, flaky salt and dates in your cupboard, you can make Ali Slagle’s sweet and savory dessert in minutes. Sautéing the dates in olive oil brings out their flavor, while the heat softens them into delightful, fudgy-textured bites. Vanilla is the most obvious ice cream choice here, but it’s also excellent with coffee, hazelnut or chocolate. That’s all for now. For technical help, reach out to cookingcare@nytimes.com, and I’m at hellomelissa@nytimes.com if you want to say hi. I’ll see you on Wednesday. For a limited time, you can enjoy free access to the recipes in this newsletter in our app. Download it on your iOS or Android device and create a free account to get started.
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