On this day twelve years ago, the indomitable cooking teacher and cookbook author Marcella Hazan left us. That she did so on the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels was no mere coincidence. She had a lot in common with that warrior angel, being a fierce and uncompromising defender of the principles of sound cooking—and not just of the kitchens of her native country, but of any kitchen.
A scientist by nature and training, she was possessed of an endless curiosity that was governed by one overruling standard: taste. How it was done, how it smelled, and how it looked when it landed on the table all mattered. But in the end, all those things served the one thing that really mattered to her, which was how it tasted when it landed on her tongue.
Largely self-taught, she had the culinary equivalent of near-perfect pitch, a keen sense of smell and taste that a lifetime of heavy smoking didn't diminish, and a singular ability to focus. Once she started cooking, her attention remained completely undivided.
Since her death, those of us whose lives, kitchens, and tables she touched and changed forever have devoted a lot of print to reflecting on her legacy. But what all those words simmer down to is really quite simple: stay curious; pay attention; trust yourself; trust your palate.
If you can do that, no matter what you're cooking, you'll never go far wrong.
Penne with Squash, Onions, and Rosemary
One of the loveliest things about Italian cooking is that once you've mastered its basic principles, you no longer need a recipe to keep you in the center of the lane. Last week, tired and not terribly hungry because of a late lunch, after a quick survey of the vegetable bin, pantry, and herb garden, in less than forty-five minutes I was bringing a lovely pasta to the table without once cracking a book or scrolling the internet.
Serves 2
1 medium yellow squash (about 6 ounces)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, trimmed, split lengthwise, peeled, and thinly sliced
1 rounded teaspoon raw sugar
1 rounded tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary (do not use dried)
1 medium clove garlic, lightly crushed, peeled, and minced
Salt, whole black pepper in a mill, and whole nutmeg in a grater
6 ounces penne pasta
¾ cup finely grated Gruyère
¼ cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1. Trim the squash and cut it crosswise into 4 equal rounds about 1-to-1¼ inch thick. Stand each round on end and cut it vertically into ¼-inch sticks. Set it aside. Put 3 quarts of water into a 4-quart pot, cover, and bring it to a boil over high heat.
2. Meanwhile, put the butter, oil, and onion in a deep, heavy bottomed skillet, preferably of seasoned iron. Put it over medium heat and sauté, tossing and stirring often, until the onion is softened and beginning to color, about 5 minutes. Add the squash and toss well to coat it with the fat. Sprinkle it with the sugar and sauté, tossing often, until the squash is softened and beginning to color and the onion is nicely caramelized, about 5-8 minutes.
3. Add the rosemary and garlic and continue sautéing until the garlic is fragrant and colored pale gold, about 2 minutes more. Season well with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, stir, and turn off the heat.
4. When the pot of water is boiling, stir in a heaped tablespoon of salt and the pasta. Adjust the heat to medium-high and boil until the pasta is al dente, using the package directions as a rough guide and beginning to check for doneness about a minute shy of the recommended cooking time. A lot depends on how hard or soft your water is and how old the dried pasta is: It may be done before the recommended time or may take 2-3 minutes longer. Keep in mind that "al dente" means "firm to the bite," not "hard and pasty in the middle." Take up a quarter of a cup of the cooking water and then drain the pasta, but don't drain it too well.
5. Immediately add the pasta to the squash and onion and toss well. If it seems a little dry, add a spoonful or two of the reserved cooking water and toss again. Add the Gruyère and half the Parmigiano and toss. If it seems dry, add another spoonful of water. Serve at once, passing the remaining Parmigiano separately.