FCG: Stracci di Pasta alla Mille Erbe 03/18/06

Greetings gang and happy first day of spring this coming Monday (3/20). I hope this finds everyone well. Today's recipe is yet another offering from the January issue of Gourmet: Stracci di Pasta alle Mille Erbe (p. 126). I was kind of surprised at how good this was because as I was looking at the list of the "mille erbe" (million herbs), I could not figure out how anyone in their right mind would put basil and mint and rosemary and sage and marjoram in the same dish as those are all "strong" herbs. I thought it would be a big clash of taste, but it really wasn't. I used fresh herbs and was delighted at how it came out. The title translates as "rags of pasta with a million herbs," but I took a shortcut on the pasta rag bit. Mine was actually Trivella Pasta alle Mille Erbe because I chose not to go and buy myself a pasta wheel, make my own pasta from scratch, and then use said wheel to cut it into odd shapes. If you want to make your own pasta, go on ahead and cut it into irregular shapes so you can have the genuine "stracci," but if you're as lazy as I am, pick your favorite shape and cook that al dente and use it in the recipe instead. For those of us without herb gardens, if you do buy the herbs fresh, there is more herbs in the bunch than is necessary for the recipe. (Except maybe the basil.) Fortunately, these extras do not have to go to waste. You can freeze the herbs if you won't be using them right away. Just wash them and chop them up. About 1 TBSP chopped herbs fits nicely into a standard ice cube tray. Put a little water on top--enough to hold the herbs together in a cube--and freeze until solid. While this means you will no longer be able to use your perfect sage leaves as a garnish, you can throw them into a soup or a sauce later on and have the flavor of fresh herbs without having to go buy another bunch of sage only to use half of it. As always, enjoy. - Devon

Stracci di Pasta alle Mille Erbe

1 lb fresh pasta or 3/4 lb no-boil lasagne sheets (or just dry pasta, your favorite shape)
3/4 lb plum tomatoes (about 4 large)
1/3 cup "extra-virgin" olive oil
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
2 TBSP chopped fresh tarragon
2 TBSP chopped fresh mint
1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1 tsp chopped fresh sage
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 tsp chopped fresh marjoram
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 oz (1/2 cup) finely grated Pecorino Romano plus additional for serving

Blanch and peel your tomatoes and then chop them up. Stir together all your herbs and the olive oil in a bowl, and then let that sit around while you cook your pasta. Drain your pasta thoroughly and then toss it with the herbs. Add your tomatoes, salt, pepper, cheese, and toss it again. Serve with additional cheese.