The daughter of a law professor and a potter, Leslie
Karst learned early, during family dinner conversations, the value of both
careful analysis and the arts—ideal ingredients for a mystery story. Putting this early education to good use, she
now writes the Sally Solari Mysteries (Dying for a Taste, A Measure
of Murder, Death al Fresco, Murder from Scratch), a culinary series set in
Santa Cruz, California. An ex-lawyer like her sleuth, Leslie also has degrees
in English literature and the culinary arts. Visit Leslie at lesliekarstauthor.com or at chicksonthecase.com
Leslie is offering a book giveaway below. Remember to leave a comment.
Take it away, Leslie!
Pasta Only Your Nonna Can Teach You to Make
Some years ago, my wife and I were fortunate enough to be
invited to dinner by a friend of ours from Rome, Daria, who promised to make
her Nonna Egle’s famous pasta with peas, onions, porcini, and garlic. Never one
to turn down a home-cooked meal, I was thrilled at the prospect of not only
eating the dinner, but also getting to observe Daria as she prepared it.
I loved the dish so very much that I decided to feature it
in my brand new Sally Solari mystery, Murder from Scratch. As a result,
Nonna Egle’s pasta has now been recreated as a dish that Sally’s dad’s cousin,
Nonna Sophia, used to prepare, and which Sally learns to make from Sophia’s
granddaughter.
(The following is excerpted—with some changes—from one of
the recipes included in Murder from Scratch. But unlike in the book, you
get photos of the process, here!)
Nonna Egle’s (aka
Sophia’s) Pasta with Peas, Onion, Porcini, and Garlic
(serves 4-6)
This dish is best with homemade egg pasta (as Daria served
it to us; the recipe is included in my new book), but you can certainly use a
store-bought variety instead. If so, try to find dried fettuccine or
pappardelle, preferably made with eggs. (And avoid the “fresh” pasta sold in
the supermarket, as it tends to be too thick and overworked, and can turn gooey
when cooked.)
It’s important to sauté the peas and onions separately from
the mushrooms and garlic, so that the flavors remain distinct. Once they’re cooked,
however, they can be combined into one pan to await mixing with the pasta.
If you can’t find dried porcini mushrooms (also called
“boletes” or “cèpes”), you can substitute fresh crimini—small brown, button
mushrooms—or portobellos.
Ingredients
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced (about ¾ pound)
¾ pound peas (fresh or frozen, thawed)
2 ounces dried porcini mushrooms (or ½ pound fresh)
6 cloves garlic, minced (2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ pound Parmesan or pecorino cheese, finely grated (about 1
½ cups)
1 pound dried egg fettuccine or pappardelle (or use pasta
recipe below)
1 tablespoon salt (for pasta water)
Directions
If using dried porcini, pour enough boiling water over them
to cover them, and let soak for an hour. Slice the mushrooms into thin strips,
reserving the liquid in a separate bowl.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over moderate heat
till shimmering, then add the onions. Sauté till they soften, then add the
peas.
Continue to sauté until the onions start to brown and the
peas are cooked through. Season with ¼ teaspoon each, salt and pepper. Set
aside.
In a separate pan, heat 2 more tablespoons of oil till
shimmering, then add the mushrooms (squeeze out most of the liquid first, so
they don’t spatter). Sauté till they cook through, then add the garlic.
Continue to cook till the mushrooms start to brown. Season
with ¼ teaspoon each, salt and pepper, and add a ½ cup of the mushroom liquid
(if you’re using fresh mushrooms, you can add chicken or vegetable stock
instead).
Then add the chopped parsley, stir to incorporate, and set
aside.
Bring a large (at least 4 quart) pot of water to a boil.
While the water is heating, combine the peas/onions and porcini/garlic in one
pan,
and reheat over a medium heat.
Add the salt and pasta to the water and cook, uncovered,
over medium heat until al dente (still slightly firm in the center),
stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. If using homemade pasta, it will
cook very fast—in about 3 minutes. If using dried pasta, it will take about
10-12 minutes to cook.
Reserving ½ cup of the cooking water, drain the pasta and
dump it back into the cooking pot (without rinsing). Add 2 tablespoons of olive
oil to pasta and toss to coat all the noodles. Pour in the ½ cup of cooking
water, then add the reheated vegetables, and toss. Finally, add 1 cup of the
cheese and toss once again.
Serve garnished with the rest of the cheese. [See photo of
plated pasta at top of post.]
Buon appetito!
About Murder from Scratch:
When moved objects around her house cause Evelyn to suspect
that Jackie’s death was not the accident or suicide the police believe it to
have been, she and Sally decide to investigate on their own. And Sally soon
learns that Evelyn’s blindness makes her more attuned to her other senses,
allowing her to discover clues that Sally would easily have missed. The
cousins’ sleuthing takes them into the world of pop-up and Southeast Asian
restaurants, macho commercial kitchens, and the cut-throat competitiveness that
can flame up between chefs—especially when stolen recipes are at stake.
GIVEAWAY

Visit Leslie at lesliekarstauthor.com or at chicksonthecase.com
as well as:
Oh my goodness, this recipe looks amazing! Thanks for visiting Mystery Lovers' Kitchen and sharing it with us, Leslie. I'm looking forward to reading MURDER FROM SCRATCH ~ bobandcelia@sbcglobal.net
ReplyDeleteThank you, Celia--it is indeed scrumptious!
DeleteMy mother was not a cook by choice. She did what she had to, but she had other things she concentrated on. However she taught me how to make pies and I’ve been very grateful for that. I like your series. suefoster109 at gmail dot com
ReplyDeletePie-learning is a wonderful thing to pass down from generation to generation, Sue!
DeleteI remember watching my grandmother making oatmeal and it was the BEST I had ever eaten!
ReplyDeleteHa-love this! Wonder what her secret was...
DeleteThis looks wonderful . . . now if I could just get the Spousal Unit to eat mushrooms . . .
ReplyDeletepjcoldren[at]tm[dot]net
Perhaps substitute with zucchini, or sun-dried tomatoes? Or maybe eggplant. Or simply eat it all yourself!
DeleteI have fun memories of my grandma making pies. She sometimes only needed a corner of the table to make a pie. I remember liking the raw pie dough lol Tari H, barbie17(at)gmail(d0t)com
ReplyDeleteMy grandmother made amazing pies! I only learned much later that it was because she use lard, lol.
DeleteI loved spending my Sunday’s helping my grandma cook lunch! My favorite was chicken and dumplings!
ReplyDeletelovesreading at gmail.com
DeleteMy grandma made chicken and dumplings, too! They were the best!
DeleteYour book sounds intriguing and the recipe appetizing. When my grandmother lived with us for 7 years her baking and cooking was exceptional. No one could compare. saubleb(at()gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteGrandmothers are the best, no? But will our grandchildren say the same of us?
DeleteI remember my mom teaching me how to make pulla. It is a Finnish sweet bread.
ReplyDeleteKit3247(at)aol(dot)com
Yum--sounds delicious!
DeleteMurder from Scratch sounds really good, and that pasta, I am definitely trying that. My mom and grandma were very different cooks (and rather critical of each other!) but both made everything from scratch and I remember cooking with them. My mom watched some of the early cooking shows and collected lots and lots of recipes, a habit she passed on to me. Thanks for the giveaway.
ReplyDeletesallycootie(at)gmail(dot)com
And you have the perfect name for this series, Sally, since my protagonist is Sally Solari! I used to watch Julia Child on TV with my mom when I was little.
DeleteThe recipe sounds great & simple, but I would eliminate the mushrooms because I myself don't like the, Love the cover of this book & it sounds great. Thanks for this great chance. lindamay4852@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteYou could substitute zucchini or dried tomatoes for the mushrooms, Linda. Thanks for commenting!
DeleteI remember helping my mom in the kitchen from a very young age - still love to cook - not sure which sounds better, the book or the recipe - thanks for the chance to win - trwilliams69(at)msn(dot)com
ReplyDeleteHa! Thanks, Taylor!
DeleteI am interested in the intriguing book. The meal is so enticing and lovely. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteThanks, Elliot. Thanks for commenting!
DeleteI learned how to cook by helping my Mom in the kitchen.
ReplyDeletejtcgc at yahoo dot com
The best way to learn!
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI have great memories of my mom teaching me how to make basically everything from scratch and all the family in the kitchen sharing the meal preparation and having fun. 1cow0993(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteWonderful memories, indeed! Nothing like a family meal.
DeleteMy favorite kitchen memories are of my grandmother teaching me to bake cookies. I still have her measuring spoons hanging up in my kitchen and they bring back such fond memories.
ReplyDeletedonnaing1(at)gmail(dot)com
What a lovely memento! I have my grandmother's cast iron chicken-fryer, a HUGE cast iron skillet. I treasure it.
DeleteMy favorite memory is my grandmother baking me an egg custard pie.
ReplyDeleteTheresa N
weceno(at)yahoo(dot)com
Yum--that sounds delicious!
DeleteMy parents were quite some cooks. They had Julia child's Mastering the Art...and cooked some delicious things from it.
ReplyDeletelibbydodd at comcast dot net
One of my very favorite books, Libby!
DeleteWe always had fried chicken on Sundays that my Grandmother made. She would cut up the chicken the day before and soak in buttermilk overnight. Of course, she made the buttermilk.
ReplyDeleteYour book sounds interesting. I have added it to my TBR list.
Thanks for sharing the recipe. I am one of the few who really likes PEAS!
jwisley(at)aol(dot)com
That's the best way to make fried chicken, hands down! I hated peas as a kid but adore them now.
DeleteWe always had fried chicken on Sundays that my Grandmother made. She would cut up the chicken the day before and soak in buttermilk overnight. Of course, she made the buttermilk.
ReplyDeleteYour book sounds interesting. I have added it to my TBR list.
Thanks for sharing the recipe. I am one of the few who really likes PEAS!
jwisley(at)aol(dot)com
My mother worked Monday through Saturday which did not leave time for cooking during the week. But Sunday was her day to catch up on laundry and so we usually made beef pot roast that could cook while doing other things. I still make pot roast the way she did with potatoes, carrots, onions and cabbage cut into wedges. Most people do not make it with cabbage, but I love the flavor it gives to the rest of the ingredients.
ReplyDeleteI was just telling someone last night how much I love just plain old cabbage--a wonderful veg.
DeleteMy memories are from back in the fifties of mom using the hand grinder to grind apples and cranberries for relish for Thanksgiving. And me helping to stir the fudge when she would make it for us. She also made us lemon icebox pie because we loved it but she never ate it. She told me years later that it was Dad's favorite but she hated it.
ReplyDeletelkish77123 at gmail dot com
Oooh-lemon icebox pie sounds delicious to me!
DeleteMy grandma taught me to make bread and can tomatoes, I remember the warm kitchen and her being so patient. Wish I could bake with her again.donakutska7@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteI know. I feel the same way about my grandmother. Sigh...
DeleteGrandma also showed me how to use a grinder u put pickles, bologna in her and turned the handle. Yum pickle meat sandwiches. 😊
ReplyDeleteMy mom, sisters, the kids, & I all spend Christmas Eve day making treats for Santa (& ourselves).
ReplyDeleteturtle6422 at gmail dot com