Pisaca: An Unusual Northern Italian Pasta Dish
Not your usual spaghetti and marinara sauce, or fettuccine alfredo, this is more typical of the north, where simple dressings of oil and garlic are used, topped with a dry cheese. Very nice with white or red wine.
Here’s an unusual and delicious pasta that an old family friend taught us. He learned it from his grandmother, and it has become one of our family favorites. You can vary the proportion of ingredients that you use, according to your tastes and preferences. Consider the amounts given to be guidelines, not rules. For instance, if you are trying to keep your fat intake down, use only olive oil and forget the butter, and find a low-fat cheese to use (if you can stand it.)
The following amounts are for 4 people.
Ingredients
- Potatoes – 4
- Pasta – 1 lb. your choice of linguine, fettuccine, or penne pasta
- Butter -1 cube
- Olive oil – 2 tsp
- Garlic – one whole garlic bulb
- 1/2 lb grated Parmesan, asiago, or romano cheese
- 1 tsp salt
- A large bunch of greens: spinach, chard, kale, etc …
- Black pepper to taste
Method
Start a large pasta-sized pot of water boiling. Add salt. Wash, peel and cut the potatoes into 8ths, or bite-size chunks, and drop in the water once it is boiling.
While the potatoes are boiling, peel and mince the garlic. Heat the olive oil in a medium small pan, over medium low heat, then add the butter. Don’t let it get too hot, you do not want the butter to burn. Once the butter has melted, add the garlic, and cook on low heat, covered. Wash and chop the greens, and grate the cheese, keeping an eye on the slow-cooking garlic.
When the potatoes are 10 minutes from being done (or however long the directions on the package tell you to cook the pasta), add the pasta to the pot of potatoes, cook until 3 minutes from being done, then add the greens.
When the potatoes/pasta/ greens are finished, drain well, and place in a large bowl. Add the garlic/butter/oil mixture, and the grated cheese, and gently toss. Season with black pepper, and serve.
Feel free to vary the amount of greens. I like a hefty amount, but my kids always prefer it to be about 3 parts pasta, 2 parts potatoes, and 1 part greens. Go ahead and experiment. This is a satisfying dish on a cold winter’s night, and is nice served with a simple, mixed green salad with a balsamic vinaigrette. For a non-vegetarian, hungrier crowd, it is good with steaks, or a chicken dish. Mangia bene!
