November 2011

We wanted to create a whole wheat pasta sauce recipe that would provide just the right complement to the hearty flavor and firm texture of whole-wheat spaghetti. We found that a boldly flavored sauce made with sun-dried tomatoes and sautéed zucchini provides a nice counterpoint to the whole-wheat pasta’s hearty texture. Starch from some added pasta liquid thickens the sauce and helps it cling to the spaghetti. A sprinkling of freshly grated Pecorino Romano, which our tasters preferred to the more subtle Parmesan, adds a salty tang to a simply sauced whole-wheat spaghetti recipe. 

Our recipe for Braised Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Pecans combines the assertive flavor of the vegetable with smoky bacon and bittersweet pecans. We braised the Brussels sprouts until just tender by partially covering them with broth, then simmering them until they were easily pierced with a knife. Smoky bacon, sweet pecans, aromatic shallots, and garlic were the perfect complements to the braised Brussels sprouts. 

In search of a green bean recipe that would breathe life into out-of-season vegetables, we discovered that roasting in a 450-degree oven with only a handful of ingredients transformed aged specimens into deeply caramelized, full-flavored beans. 

In the last few years, the whole-grain pasta offerings on supermarket shelves have expanded with gusto. Where there used to be one or two, there were now up to a dozen. There’s everything from mass-market brands touting health claims (High fiber! Good source of omega-3’s and antioxidants! Extra protein!), to artisanal pastas made from ancient strains of wheat like farro and spelt in tastefully rustic packaging, selling for upward of $10 a pound.