50 States of Pasta, Part 3
This article is part of a 5-part series where I make a pasta dish that represents each of the 50 US states. If you wish to check out parts 1 and 2, then go ahead and use the links down below.
Massachusetts-Clam Chowder Pasta
One of the original 13 colonies, Massachusetts is where quite a few historical events took place, such as the Salem witch trials, the Mayflower, and the Boston Tea Party, and also has the best overall healthcare system in the country.
If there is one food that the state of Massachusetts is known for, besides Boston Cream pie, it’s clam chowder, or as they say in Boston “Chah-dah” So, similar to what I did for Connecticut, I think some pasta with clams and a chowder-style sauce would be wonderful.
Cook 1 pound of large shell pasta, not the jumbo shells that you stuff (See what I did there?) until al dente. Drain, then set aside.
In a medium saucepan, render 4 chopped strips of bacon until brown and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon onto some paper towels, then set aside.
Add 1 chopped onion and 3 chopped stalks of celery to the rendered bacon fat, then cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the veggies start to soften.
Add 3 minced cloves of garlic and 4 tablespoons of flour, cook that for about a minute to get rid of any raw flour taste, then add 1 bottle of clam juice, 1/2 cup of chicken broth, one bay leaf, 2 teaspoons of thyme, and a few grinds of pepper.
Bring to a boil, then add 2 dozen littleneck or cherrystone clams, cover the pot, and cook for 5-8 minutes, or until the sauce starts to thicken and the clams are opened.
Take the clams out of the pot, then add 1 1/3 cups of half and half and bring to a simmer. Take the clam meat out of the shells, then add them back to the pot along with the pasta. Simmer until the pasta is warmed and the sauce is thickened to your liking.
Divide into bowls, then top with the bacon and some sliced chives.
This dish takes all of the wonderful flavors of Boston clam chowder but does so as a unique and delicious pasta dish, and it is something that I think I should pitch to Massachusetts as soon as I can.
Michigan-Pizza Lasagna Pinwheels
Home to the Great Lakes, Michigan is known for its home to the automobile industry, bustling college town atmosphere, and stunning landscape tucked into 2 peninsulas.
When it comes to the food in Michigan, especially in Detroit, there are few dishes that seem to top Detroit-style pizza, which is baked in a rectangular pan and topped with Wisconsin brick cheese that gets browned and somewhat crisp on the edges.
I love the idea, so I’ll be turning that concept into some amazing lasagna pinwheels.
Cook 1 pound of lasagna sheets until tender, but doesn’t fall apart. Drain, then set aside.
In a mixing bowl, combine 1/2 cup of ricotta cheese with 1/2 cup of grated mozzarella, 2 tablespoons of sliced basil, 2 eggs, and a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.
Spread some of the ricotta mixture onto each pasta sheet, and lay on a layer of pepperoni. Roll the sheets to create a pinwheel shape, then cut into thirds.
(Ideally, you should chill these rolls for at least an hour before slicing them…but I forgot to do that)
Spread 2 cups of your favorite tomato sauce onto an oiled baking pan, then lay the pinwheels inside, roll-side down.
Top with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of parmesan, then bake in a 425-degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese on top is bubbly and golden.
Top with more sliced basil, then serve, making sure you scoop up that wonderful sauce as you serve.
I’ve done lasagna pinwheels before, but not like this.
That baked sauce underneath with the gooey cheese in the middle and those salty, spicy pepperoni makes this a perfect weeknight dinner that your family will love, even if you don’t live in Michigan.
Minnesota-Walleye Spaghetti all’Acqua Pazza
Hopping over Wisconsin, our next stop on this adventure is The North Star state, Minnesota. With over 10,000 rivers, ponds, lakes, and more, there’s no doubt that Minnesota is a state with tons of gorgeous waters, giving it the title ‘Land of 10,000 lakes”
Minnesota is known for a few famous foods, including the ever-popular Juicy Lucy, that’s where you stuff cheese into a hamburger patty, but with its many lakes I figured that some type of fish would be best, and that’s when I discovered walleye.
Walleye is a freshwater fish that spawns all over the lakes of Minnesota. In fact, walleye is labeled as the Minnesota state fish, so doing a pasta dish with the walleye would be perfect.
Cut 2 walleye (or other white fish) fillets in half, remove the skin from half of the portions, and cut the skinned pieces into large chunks. Season the chunks with salt and set them, along with the skin-on pieces, aside.
Cook 1/2 pound of spaghetti, or any long pasta, in heavily salted water until almost al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, drain, then set aside.
While the pasta cooks, heat a bit of olive oil in a skillet with 3 sliced garlic cloves, 1 minced shallot, and 1/2 teaspoon of chili flakes and cook until the garlic and shallots are sizzling, but not browning.
Add 3 roughly chopped tomatoes, then cook for about 2 minutes, or until the tomatoes soften. Add 1/4 cup of white wine to deglaze, then cook for another 2 minutes, or until the wine has reduced by half.
Dump the pasta, cooking water, and fish chunks into the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the fish was fully cooked.
Meanwhile, heat some olive oil in a separate pan, season the skin-on walleye filets with salt and pepper, then add to the pan, skin-side down, and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until the fish is cooked and the skin is crispy.
Divide the pasta mixture among 2 bowls, then top with a filet of the crispy-skinned walleye.
What you get is the light flavors of the fish with that quick tomato sauce to be slurped up by that pasta. Honestly, if there isn’t a restaurant in Minnesota that is serving this walleye pasta dish, then I don’t know what they’re doing.
Mississippi-Soul Food Minestrone
Jumping all the way down to right above the Gulf of Mexico, our next stop is at the beautiful Magnolia State, Mississippi.
One of the states of the south, Mississippi is well known for it’s southern hospitality charm, bluegrass music, and, of course, the Mississippi river.
There is one type of food that has taken quite a bit of popularity in Mississippi and the other southern states, and that is soul food, food made popular by African slaves who needed something warm and comforting to dine on.
I love the idea of soul food like black-eyed peas and collards, so I think I can convert that into a warming soup with some pasta and do that in the style of a minestrone soup.
Cook 3 chopped slices of bacon in a medium saucepan over low heat until the bacon is browned and crisp. Remove from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside, then pour off all but about a tablespoon of the bacon drippings.
Add 1 chopped onion and 2 sliced ribs of celery to the reserved bacon fat, then sweat until the veggies start to soften. Add 2 chopped large tomatoes, a large sprig of thyme, and a bay leaf, then cook for about 5 minutes, or until the tomatoes soften.
Add 2 cups of chicken broth, 1 cup of white wine, and 1 cup of canned black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed. Bring to a boil, then cook for about 20 minutes to allow the flavors to develop.
Add 2 cups of sliced collard greens and 1 cup of mini farfalle or any small pasta, then cook for another 5 minutes, or until the pasta and greens are tender. Add 4 minced cloves of garlic, and season the soup with salt and pepper to taste.
Divide the soup among bowls, then top with the reserved bacon, sliced basil, and a drizzle of olive oil.
This dish provides the warm, comforting taste of Mississippi soul food with a unique Italian minestrone. I don’t want to sound overconfident, but I’d say that this is the best soup this side of-well, you know.
Missouri-Bucatini All’ Amatriciana
Moving a bit Northwest, our next stop is in the great state of Missouri, a state known for delicious barbecue, its strong agricultural industry, and the iconic St. Louis gateway arch, which was built to commemorate Thomas Jefferson with the Louisiana Purchase.
At one point in time, Missouri’s state capital, St. Louis, was known as a midwestern mecca for Italian-American food.
While times have changed and St. Louis residents have moved away from the red and white sauce, the Italian heritage remains, and that includes the love for pasta.
This dish, Bucatini All’ Amatriciana, which features bucatini pasta with tomatoes, onions, and guanciale, is a very popular dish in Pastaria, a restaurant in Clayton, MO, so that is the dish that I’ll be making today.
In a wide pan, cook 6 ounces of guanciale, cut into thick lardons, in 3 tablespoons of olive oil until browned and crisp. This was my first time trying guanciale, by the way, and I have to say that it’s very good.
Remove the guanciale from the pan with a slotted spoon, then add 1 finely chopped red onion and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until the onion starts to brown.
Drain a 28-ounce can of tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, then add to the pan with 1/2 teaspoon of chili flakes and use a wooden spoon or potato masher to crush the tomatoes. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until the tomatoes have thickened.
While the sauce cooks cook 1 pound of dried or fresh bucatini pasta in salted boiling water according to the directions for al dente. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta water, then drain.
Add the pasta and reserved guanciale to the sauce, then toss to coat and cook for another minute, adding pasta water if the sauce gets too thick. Season with salt and pepper, then serve.
Divide the pasta among bowls, then top with sliced basil and grated pecorino or parmesan. (Yes, I forgot the basil, just imagine that it’s on there!)
This dish is very simple to make, yet the depth of flavors you get is outstanding.
The salty guanciale, the sweet tomatoes, that slight kick from the chili flakes, and it’s something that I think anyone from Missouri would be happy to eat.
And with the completion of this dish, we are now halfway through this American pasta journey! Still have 25 more exciting dishes to come, including the one for…
Montana-Cherry Sundae Pasta
Now heading way up north, but not as far up north as Alaska, our next stop is the beautiful state of Montana. Montana is well known for its abundant wildlife, scenery, and mineral resources, giving it the nickname as The Treasure State.
Given it’s wild scenery, there are lots of native plants and fruits that grow in Montana, and one of those is gorgeous flathead cherries, named after the cherry orchards around Montana’s Flathead Lake, and luckily there is a large supply of amazing cherries in Colorado as well, so I think doing some kind of sweet cherry pasta will be perfect.
It sounds strange, but so have the other sweet pasta dishes I’ve done so far, so let’s get into it!
In a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups of pitted red cherries with 1/2 cup of sugar and a pinch of salt. Heat that over medium heat until the cherries break down and start looking more like a jam, about 5 minutes, then add 1/4 teaspoon of almond extract.
Meanwhile, cook 1/2 pound of pasta in boiling water with 1 tablespoon of sugar. Drain, then set aside.
Toss the pasta with the cherry mixture, then divide among bowls and top with toasted almonds and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
When I came up with this Montana cherry pasta dish, I thought I was insane, but after tasting it, I realized that…I was still insane, but a good kind of insane.
The pasta acts like a cake or pie crust top pick up the cherry mixture and the ice cream and make it a delicious plate of food.
Nebraska-Reuben Mac and Cheese
Now heading more towards the central US, our next stop is a state that has wide deserts with the Great Plains as well as dramatic rock formations, Nebraska. Along with its prairies, Nebraska is best known for spacious farmlands and unique attractions such as Chimney Rock.
Legend has it that it was in Omaha, Nebraska, that my favorite sandwich, the Reuben, was born. The story is varied, but supposedly the sandwich came to be in an Omaha poker game by poker player, Reuben Kulakofsk.
I think I would be doing Nebraska justice if I figured out some way to combine the flavors of the mighty Reuben into a unique pasta dish.
Preheat the oven to 400.
Cook 1 pound of macaroni pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, then set aside. While the pasta cooks, place 2 slices of stale rye bread into a food processor and pulse until it forms coarse crumbs. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then pulse to combine.
In a medium saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons of butter with 2 teaspoons of caraway seeds until the seeds start to toast, then add 3 tablespoons of flour and cook that for about a minute.
Add 2 cups of milk to a simmer, then cook for 5 minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Add 2 cups of grated gruyere and 1/4 cup of brown mustard. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Combine the pasta with the cheese sauce along with 3/4 pound of thick sliced deli corned beef, chopped, and 1 pound of sauerkraut, drained and rinsed well.
Dump everything into a buttered baking dish, top with the rye crumbs, then bake for 20 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly. Top with sliced green onions and chopped pickles, then serve.
I love a Reuben and mac and cheese, so this was a no-brainer for me. That creamy, cheesy sauce with the flavor of the rye bread, the corned beef, and the kraut make it a perfect bite.
Here’s to you, Nebraska.
Nevada-Eggs Benedict Carbonara
Now heading back West, our next stop is in a state filled with deserts and more casinos than any one person can handle, Nevada. On top of Las Vegas, Nevada is best known for a variety of natural wonders, such as Lake Tahoe, the Valley of Fire State Park, and and prominent gold and silver mines.
Do you know what I’ve realized? I’ve yet to come up with a breakfast or brunch pasta dish for this series, so I think what better brunch dish to pastanize than Eggs Benedict, where I essentially swap the English muffins for pasta and, instead of hollandaise do a carbonara-style sauce?
It’s a dish that could be perfect hangover food after long nights in a Las Vegas casino.
You know the drill by now, start by cooking 1 pound of any pasta in salted boiling water, yadi-yada. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, drain, then set aside.
While the pasta cooks, tender one cup of diced guanciale in a skillet until brown and crisp. Drain onto paper towels, then set aside.
Once the guanciale is crisp, poach 4 eggs in a medium saucepan of simmering water by cracking the eggs into a small bowl, then gently lowering the eggs into the water and cooking for 3-4 minutes, or until the whites are set and the yolks are still a bit runny.
Once the pasta is hot and ready, whisk 3 egg yolks in a heatproof bowl, then slowly add 8 tablespoons of hot melted butter.
Add the pasta and 1/2 cup of the cooking water, then stir for 2 minutes, or until a creamy sauce forms, adding more pasta water if needed. Season the sauce with salt and pepper.
Divide the pasta mixture among bowls, then top with some guanciale, an egg, some sliced chives, and a dusting of paprika.
If this doesn’t convince you to start eating pasta for breakfast, then I don’t know what will.
This dish provides all of the beautiful flavors and textures of eggs benedict but with a unique presentation, and who knows? It might be a dish that will start popping up in Nevadan diners.
New Hampshire-Cider braised pork with pasta
Now heading far east, almost to the other side of the country, our next stop is at The Granite State, New Hampshire. Being one of the original 13 New England colonies, you can imagine that there’s quite a bit of history behind the state of New Hampshire, such as the center of the American Revolution and granite production.
New Hampshire is home to a wide range of apple orchards, including Applecrest, the oldest continuously operated apple orchard in the country, so I thought that doing some kind of apple cider glazed pork belly would be something perfect to go over pasta.
Cook 4 chopped slices of applewood smoked bacon in a Dutch oven over medium-low until the fat is rendered and the bacon is browned and crispy. Meanwhile, season a 2-pound piece of skinless pork belly with salt and pepper.
Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon, then turn up the heat, add the pork belly, and cook for 2 minutes on each side until well browned on all sides.
Remove the pork to a plate then pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of the drippings. Add 1 roughly chopped onion, 2 roughly chopped carrots, a roughly chopped bulb of fennel, and peeled cloves of garlic, then cook until the vegetables begin to brown.
Return the pork to the pot, fat side-up along with 4 cans of hard apple cider, any brand you like, 2 bay leaves, 1 cinnamon stick, and 1 large bunch of thyme. The pork should be mostly covered with liquid.
Bring to a boil, then cover the pot and move to a 325-degree oven, uncovered for 3-4 hours, or until the pork is very tender and the fat on top becomes crispy.
Once tender, remove the pork from the pot, then drain the liquid into a small pan over medium heat and cook until the liquid has reduced to a glaze.
While the liquid reduces, cook 1 pound of any short pasta or egg noodles according to the directions on the package. Drain, then toss with 2 tablespoons each of butter and parmesan.
Once the braising liquid has thickened a bit, swirl in 2 tablespoons of butter until melted and add 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar. Roll the pork belly in the glaze to coat.
Divide the pasta among bowls, then top with the pork belly, some more of the glaze, chopped fennel fronds, and the reserved bacon.
This dish reminds me of those glazed short ribs that I love. The pork is incredibly tender, the sauce is full of flavor from the cider, and the fennel, and it’s a dish that would make the orchards of New Hampshire feel very proud.
New Jersey-Sausage and Pepper Rigatoni
Heading a bit south but still staying along the East Coast, our next stop is at a state that is a connecting point between the US mainland and Manhattan Island, New Jersey. I feel like New Jersey gets a bit of a bad reputation, especially from New Yorkers, but it is a fantastic state with the High Point state park, Six Flags adventure park, and stunning beaches.
New Jersey has a very strong Italian heritage, so much so that they even have their own style of pizza known as tomato pie, but one dish that seems to have popularity, especially along the Jersey shore, is an Italian-style hot dog that’s loaded with peppers and onions.
Of course, I’m not going to put hot dogs with pasta, I have too much respect for Italy to do that, but I do think sausage and peppers pasta is a fantastic idea.
Cook 1 pound of rigatoni in salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve about a cup of the pasta water, then drain and set aside.
While the pasta is cooking, cook 4 hot or sweet Italian sausage links in a wide pan with some olive oil until browned on all sides. Don’t worry if the sausages aren’t fully cooked at this point as they will cook more later on.
Remove the sausages from the pan, then add 1 thinly sliced large onion, 1 thinly sliced red and green bell pepper, and a pinch of salt.
Cook for about 5 minutes over medium or until the onions and peppers start to brown, then add 4 minced cloves of garlic, a pinch of chili flakes (if using sweet sausages) and 1 15-ounce can of crushed tomatoes. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then cook for about 10-15 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced by half and the tomatoes thicken.
Thinly slice the sausages on a bias, then add those along with the pasta and 1/2 cup of pasta water. Toss to coat, then cook for another minute, or until the sauce clings to the pasta. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste and add more pasta water if you need to thin out the sauce.
Divide everything among bowls, then top with grated parmesan and sliced basil or parsley.
This dish features a very classic flavor combination that is oh-so-delicious and might make you think about the hot dogs you get on the shores of New Jersey.
And that is where I will stop for now.
If you like this series, then make sure to spread the word and get more people over to check out the blog! I will see you when the next 10 states are ready.
