Ingredients

for 1 pound of pasta

　　8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter

　　2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

　　1/2 cup finely chopped dried chestnuts, reconstituted and cooked in boiling water, then chopped or pulsed to small bits in the food processor

　　1 teaspoon fresh rosemary needles

　　Hot water from the pasta-cooking pot

　　3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

　　1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano

　　

Step 1

Heat the butter and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in the skillet set over medium-high heat until sizzling; drop in the chopped chestnuts; toast and stir for a minute.

　　

Step 2

Scatter in the rosemary needles and cook another minute or so, until the nuts are lightly colored.

　　

Step 3

Ladle in 1 1/2 cups of pasta-cooking water; cook rapidly for 2 to 3 minutes, reducing the liquid by half; keep at low simmer until the pasta is ready.

　　

Step 4

Finish the sauce and pasta together in the skillet (for details see page 105). Add the parsley during the initial tossing; off the heat, toss in the cheese and a final tablespoon of olive oil just before serving.

　　

Good With . . .

Step 5

Pappardelle of fresh Chestnut Pasta (page 177)

　　

Step 6

Rich egg pasta

　　

Step 7

A thin dry pasta such as capellini, spaghettini

　　From Lidia's Family table by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich Copyright (c) 2004 by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich Published by Knopf.Lidia Bastianich hosts the hugely popular PBS show, "Lidia's Italian-American kitchen" and owns restaurants in New York City, Kansas City, and Pittsburgh. Also the author of Lidia's Italian Table and Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen, she lives in Douglaston, New York. Jay Jacob's journalism has appeared in many national magazines.From the Trade Paperback edition.