50 States of Pasta, Part 4
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 the first 3 parts, then you can use the links below.
New Mexico-Green Chili Chicken Pasta
Moving far southwest from New Jersey, our next stop in this USA pasta adventure is at the next-door neighbor to the state that I grew up in, New Mexico. There are a lot of things to like about New Mexico; the diverse landscape, stunning attractions, and the first atomic bomb test site.
Sitting on our neighbors to the South, it’s no surprise that there’s a wide abundance of chilis and peppers in New Mexican cuisine, so I think that doing some form of green chili pasta will be perfect.
Rub 10-12 Anaheim peppers with olive oil, then place them directly onto a gas burner and cook, turning occasionally, until the skin of the peppers is charred on all sides. Remove to a heatproof bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it cool for about 20 minutes.
(I love this method for roasting peppers, as it’s both fun and easy, but you can also roast them under the broiler or on the grill.
This is also great with poblanos or even just green bell peppers, if you’re that afraid of spice. Although, once you roast the peppers and take out the seeds, the heat goes away.)
When cool enough to handle, peel off the charred skin of the peppers, take out the seeds, and finely chop the pepper flesh.
Cook 1 pound of any short pasta until al dente, then reserve a cup of pasta water and set aside. By now, that step should be pretty obvious.
While the pasta cooks, melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan with 1 teaspoon of cumin and 2 minced garlic cloves. Add 3 tablespoons of flour, then cook that for about a minute before adding 1 1/2 cups of milk.
Bring it to a simmer, then cook for 5 minutes, or until the sauce starts to thicken, then add 2 cups of grated Monterey jack or pepper jack cheese, and whisk until melted.
Add the pasta, roasted chilis, and 2 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken to the sauce, then cook for another 2 minutes or until the chicken is warmed through.
Divide everything among bowls, then top with chopped cilantro and a dollop of sour cream.
There’s no chance you’d find this dish anywhere in Italy, but it is certainly delicious. The roasted flavor of those green chilis really comes through, but then that cheese comes in to give you creaminess among the flavorful sauce.
I could not recommend this dish more, especially if you happen to live in New Mexico.
New York-Chicken Riggies
Start spreading the news, I’m leaving today. We are a great big part of it…
That’s right, the next stop is in the home of the Big Apple, New York. On top of the big city and the Statue of Liberty, New York is best known for the ever-large city on Manhattan Island as well as the iconic Niagara Falls near Buffalo.
There are all sorts of great food that call New York home, such as Neapolitan pizza, cheesecake, and bagels. New York also has a very large Italian background as Italian immigrants came to Elis Island and shared their cuisine with the locals. One could say that New Yorkers have red sauce running through their veins.
While there are hundreds of Italian restaurants serving classic dishes all across New York, there is one dish that has seen a great deal of popularity: chicken riggies.
The dish features rigatoni pasta (riggies) with chicken and hot or sweet peppers in a tomato cream sauce. This dish sounds exactly like the sort of food I love, so I can’t wait to make it.
Just like with the New Jersey dish I did, you’ll want to start by cooking 1 pound of rigatoni pasta in salted boiling water until slightly under al dente. Reserve 2 cups of pasta water, drain, then set aside.
While the pasta is doing it’s thing, season 2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Put the chicken into a hot pan with a bit of olive oil, then cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side, or until the chicken is well browned on all sides. You may need to do this in batches.
Once all of the chicken is seared, remove from the pan, then add 2 thinly sliced red bell peppers and 5 medium cherry peppers, stemmed and seeded before thinly sliced. Cook for about 3 minutes, or until the bell peppers start to soften, then add 8 cloves of minced garlic, then cook for another minute.
Add 1 cup of dry white wine, scraping up the bottom of the pan, then let it simmer for a few minutes, or until the wine has reduced by half.
Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces, then add that to the pan along with a 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes and 1 cup of heavy cream. Bring that to a simmer, then cook for 5-10 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced and the chicken is fully cooked.
Add the pasta, 1 cup of grated parmesan, and about 1/2 cup of the pasta water to the sauce, then cook for another 2 minutes, or until the cheese has melted into the sauce and the pasta has absorbed a bit of the sauce.
Season with salt and pepper to taste, add more pasta water if the sauce is too thick, then divide among bowls and top with torn basil leaves.
There are likely lots of pasta dishes that could represent New York, but this one is certainly great. The sauce has a nice creaminess, a slight spice to it from the cherry peppers, and it’s all a very flavorful weeknight dinner.
North Carolina-Sweet Potato Gnocchi
Skipping down South but staying along the East Coast, our next stop is in a state full of great food and charming nature, North Carolina. North Carolina is best known for its arts and culture, being a pioneer in aviation, and gorgeous state parks with massive mountains.
Not being that familiar with the Carolinas, it was a bit hard to think of one North Carolinian dish that I could make into a pasta dish. That was before I found out that North Carolina is the top producer of sweet potatoes in the US, so I thought that sweet potato gnocchi with some garlicky broccolini would be perfect.
Start by jabbing a 1-pound sweet potato all over with a fork. Wrap it in a damp towel, then place the sweet potato into the microwave for 7 minutes, or until the potato is very tender. (You can also bake it, but it’ll take about an hour)
Let the sweet potato cool until you can handle it without burning your hands, then remove the skin and pass the flesh through a potato ricer for a fine texture. Add 1 cup of ricotta cheese, 1/4 cup of parmesan, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and 1 1/4 cups of flour.
Stir until a soft, smooth dough forms. Cut the dough into 4, then roll on a floured surface into 1/2-inch thick snakes. Use a floured knife or pastry cutter to cut the snakes into roughly 1-inch pieces.
Carefully lower the gnocchi into a pot of salted simmering water until they float to the top, then drain with a slotted spoon, but reserve the water.
Set aside, then bring the water to a boil and add 5 cups of broccoli rabe, cut into bite-sized pieces. Cook for 1-2 minutes, or until the broccoli rabe is bright green and slightly tender, then drain.
Heat a stick of butter in a wide saucepan until melted and sizzling. Add the gnocchi, then cook for 2-3 minutes, or the gnocchi starts to brown. Add the broccoli rabe, 2 cloves of garlic, and 5-6 sage leaves, then cook until fragrant and the broccoli rabe is cooked through.
Add 1/3 cup of heavy cream to a simmer, then stir in a pinch of salt and 1/4 cup of parmesan. Cook for another minute, or until a creamy sauce forms, then serve, topping with more parmesan.
I suppose I need to thank North Carolina for providing the wonderful sweet potatoes to make this delicious gnocchi dish possible.
The gnocchi themselves are incredibly soft but are still able to hold their shape. It also has a slight sweetness balanced out by the creamy sauce, the broccoli rabe, and that ricotta to make this a wonderful quick, and easy dish.
North Dakota-Pasta and potato soup
Heading up Northwest, we now head into a state that is dominated by the Great Plains, North Dakota. Originally known as The Badlands, North Dakota is now home to the 70,000-acre Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
North Dakota has a strong German and Scandinavian influence with its local food, likely due to German and Scandinavian immigrants settling in the state and passing on their family’s recipes and traditions, and one very popular German dish that North Dakotans can’t seem to get enough of is Knoephla.
Knoephla is a classic German dumpling and potato soup that traditionally features soft dumplings as you get in American chicken and dumplings. For Delaware, I already did a pasta version of their chicken and flat dumplings, so I thought that making pasta and potato soup would suffice.
Melt a stick of butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, then add 1 chopped onion and 3 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes, then cook until the onions start to soften. Season with pepper.
Add 3 cups of whole milk to the potatoes, then heat until almost boiling, about 5 minutes. Add 6 cups of chicken broth, then bring that to a simmer and let it cook for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are mostly tender.
Add 2 cups of any short pasta or egg noodles, then cook for another 6-8 minutes, or until the pasta and potatoes are tender. Stir in a tablespoon each of chopped dill and parsley, season the soup with salt and pepper, then serve!
This might not be the classic potato and dumpling soup that people in North Dakota likely grew up eating, but it is certainly tasty.
The starch from the potatoes gives the soup a slightly creamy texture that the pasta soaks up beautifully.
Ohio-Cincinnati chili
Now heading back East, the next stop on this pasta adventure is in The Buckeye State, Ohio. There are quite a few famous things within Ohio, such as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Cleveland Indians baseball team.
For better or worse, there is a dish that originated in Ohio that has received a good deal of fame, even if that fame is less-than-positive, and that is Cincinnati-style chili. Chili is a regional staple, especially in Texas, but the chili claimed to fame in Ohio features a meat sauce stewed with Mediterranean spices that is served over spaghetti or hot dogs.
I suppose the logic behind doing it over pasta is because it’s similar to spaghetti bolognese, another Italian-American favorite, so I thought I’d give this one a whirl.
Place 2 pounds of ground beef into a Dutch oven and cover with cold water. Bring the water to a boil, stirring to break up the ground beef, then slowly boil the meat for about 30 minutes, or until the meat is cooked through.
Add 2 chopped onions, 1 (15-ounce) can of tomato sauce, 2 tablespoons of vinegar, 4 cloves of minced garlic, 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce, and a 1-ounce square of unsweetened chocolate (I know that sounds bizarre, but just go with me on this.).
Add 1/4 cup of chili powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, 1 teaspoon each of cumin and cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
In a small square of cheesecloth, add 5 whole cloves, 5 allspice berries, and 1 bay leaf. Bring the corners of the cloth together, then tie it with kitchen twine and add that to the pot. Simmer for about 3 hours, adding more water if the pot looks a bit too dry.
When the chili is close to being done, cook 1 pound of spaghetti in a separate pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, then set aside.
When the chili is ready, place a mound of spaghetti onto plates, top with a generous amount of the chili, some diced onions, and some grated cheddar cheese.
Ok, going into this, I expected this Cincinnati chili to be too strange for comfort, but having tasted it…I can see why people in Ohio love it.
That chili is full of deep, complex flavor and the pasta acts as a perfect vessel for picking it up, as we do with bolognese. Is it Italian? No. Is it tasty? Yes.
Oklahoma-Balsamic Steak Pasta
Ok, with that unique chili out of the way, our next stop takes us back down south to the state that is often known as the hat for the state that I grew up in, Oklahoma. There’s a lot of cowboy culture over in Oklahoma, along with Native American history and iodine production.
Oklahoma is also known for having some of the best beef in the country, and many restaurants and steakhouses pride themselves with the quality of their meat used, so I thought that doing some form of steak pasta would be ideal.
Place 1 1/2 pounds of either New York strip steak or sirloin into a large sealable bag along with 1/3 cup of balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and a generous amount of salt and pepper. Let the steak marinade for at least half an hour or up to 4 hours.
While the steak is marinating, cook 1 pound of fettuccine or any pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, then set aside.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat without any additional oil. Remove the steaks from the marinade, then place them into the hot pan. Cook the steaks for 4 minutes on each side, or until cooked to your liking. Remove from the pan and let them rest while you make the pasta sauce.
In the same pan used to sear the steaks, add 3 tablespoons of butter and 3 cloves of minced garlic. Cook for about a minute, or until the garlic becomes fragrant, then add 3 tablespoons of flour and cook for another minute.
Add 2 cups of milk and a bit of salt and pepper. Bring that to a simmer, then let it cook for about 2 minutes, or until the sauce starts to thicken. Add the pasta, 1/3 cup of parmesan, 3 cups of baby spinach, and 1/3 cup of roughly chopped sundried tomatoes.
Stir everything up until the spinach is wilted and a creamy sauce has formed. If the sauce appears to be too thick, then add some more milk. You do not need to add more pasta water to this sauce as we already have starch from the flour.
Thinly slice the steaks, then divide the pasta among bowls, top with some steak and, if you want, some balsamic glaze, some blue cheese, and chopped parsley.
I’d say that Oklahoma is right in that it does have some amazing beef to go around, especially if it’s done on top of this creamy pasta laced with some of the flavors from said beef.
Oregon-Crab Mac and Cheese
Now heading far West, our next stop happens to be in the great Beaver State, Oregon. Oregon is a gorgeous state, full of diverse landscapes, mountains, scenic bikeways, and huge, gorgeous lakes. It’s also got some historical sites such as the Oregon Trail.
Every year Oregon residents eat about 10 million pounds of Dungeness crabs, they’re really hard to miss. Oregon is also home to the Tillamook cheese factory, one of the largest cheese producers in the US, so I think a crab mac and cheese would be beyond perfect.
I’m also going to get some corn in there to play on the vibe of a crab boil.
Start by cooking 1/2 pound of elbow macaroni in salted boiling water until almost al dente. Drain, then set aside.
While the pasta cooks melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan, add 4 tablespoons of flour and 3/4 teaspoon of seafood seasoning (Old Bay or any seasoning you like), then cook for about a minute.
Add 2 1/2 cups of milk, then whisk and simmer the sauce for 2 minutes, or until the sauce starts to thicken. Add 2 1/2 cups of shredded Cheddar-jack cheese, then stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce is creamy. Season with salt and pepper.
To the sauce, fold in the pasta, 1/2 pound of lump crab meat, and 1 1/2 cups of corn kernels. Gently stir the pasta so as to not break up the crab meat too much.
In a small bowl, mix together 1/4 cup of crushed butter crackers (or breadcrumbs), with 1 tablespoon each of melted butter and parmesan, and 1/4 teaspoon of seafood seasoning.
Dump the macaroni mixture into a buttered baking dish, then top it with the cracker mixture and bake in a 400-degree oven for 20 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly.
Once baked, top the whole thing with chopped parsley, then let it rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
Macaroni and cheese do not have to be just a side dish. When loaded up with the beautiful crab, the sweet corn, and that crispy topping, it’s a true showstopping dish that anyone in Oregon would love.
Pennsylvania-Philly Cheesesteak Lasagna
Heading all the way to the other side of the country, our next stop is in the wonderful Keystone state, Pennsylvania. Within Pennsylvania, especially in Philadelphia, lies many historical landmarks such as the Liberty Bell, and Independence Hall, which lent a big role in the Industrial Revolution.
There is but one food item that has warmed the hearts and filled the stomachs of Pennsylvania residents and tourists alike, and that is the iconic Philly Cheesesteak. Tender steak, sweet onions, mounded with cheese, and loaded into bread.
I love this concept, so I think I’ll be doing a cheesesteak-style lasagna.
Heat a thin layer of olive oil in a wide pot, add 1 sliced large onion and 2 sliced green bell peppers with a pinch of salt, then cook for about 5 minutes, or until the veggies are golden and lightly caramelized.
Add 1 pound of ground beef to the veggies, then cook, using a wooden spoon to break up the beef, until the beef is fully cooked. Season with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, 2 cloves of garlic, and chili flakes to taste.
Sprinkle the beef with 2 tablespoons of flour, then add 1/2 cup of beef broth and use a spoon to scrape up any brown bits at the bottom of the pot.
Bring to a simmer, then cook for 10-15 minutes or until the liquid has thickened.
Meanwhile, melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a medium saucepan, then add 4 tablespoons of flour and cook for a minute. Add 2 cups of milk, then bring that to a simmer and cook until thickened. Add 2 cups of shredded provolone cheese, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
Line a baking sheet with oil, then add a layer of no-boil lasagna sheets. Top with 1/3 of the beef mixture and 1/3 of the cheese sauce. Repeat until you have 3 layers of pasta, sauce, and cheese.
Top with more shredded provolone, cover with foil, then bake in a 375-degree oven for 15 minutes with the foil on, then remove the foil and bake for 30 minutes. Let the lasagna rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving!
This lasagna brings all the classic flavors of a cheesesteak but does so in a very unique way. Here’s to you, Pennsylvania.
Rhode Island-Clambake with Potato Pasta
After filling up on that beautiful Philly Cheesesteak lasagna, we now head further Northeast to the smallest state, Rhode Island. Where Rhode Island lacks in size, it makes up for its abundant shoreline, production of jewelry and silverware, and New England charm.
With its coastal landmark, it’s no surprise that Rhode Island has a lot of great seafood to spare, and one popular way to prepare seafood in the Ocean State is with a clambake, where various seafood like clams, mussels, lobster, and shrimp are stewed with potatoes and corn.
I love this idea, but I wanted to take it a step further by turning the potatoes found in a clam bake into pasta and putting the seafood on top of that.
Cut the kernels off of 3 ears of corn.
Cut 1/2 pound of red potatoes in half, then use a spiralizer with the thin noodle setting to turn them into noodles. Cook the potatoes in a pot of salted boiling water until soft, but still holding their shape, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt 8 tablespoons of butter with 6 cloves of minced garlic and 1 tablespoon of seafood seasoning in a wide skillet. Add 1/2 pound each of scrubbed mussels, littleneck clams, and shelled shrimp, then toss to coat in the butter.
Add 1 cup of white wine and the corn, then cover the pan and cook for 5-8 minutes, or until the shrimp is cooked and the mussels and clams have opened.
If it seems like the clams are taking a bit longer to open, then you can just remove the shrimp to keep it from overcooking then add it back in once the clams are open.
Toss cooked the potato pasta with the liquid in the pan, then top with fresh parsley and serve with lemon wedges.
To me, this dish screams Rhode Island in the best way possible. Turning the potatoes into pasta makes them fun to twirl up as I devour all of that wonderful seafood.
South Carolina-Rigatoni with Sausage and Mustard Cream
Now jumping way far south but still staying along the East Coast, our last stop on this 4th leg of the journey takes us to The Palmetto State, South Carolina. Similar to its northern counterpart, South Carolina is best known for its white sand beaches, warm temperatures, and golf.
Like many southern states, South Carolina has some really great barbecue that features cooking whole hog. South Carolina, and some parts of North Carolina, also tend to feature mustard as a key flavor for either their barbecue rubs or sauces, so I think that doing a some rigatoni with pork sausage and a mustard cream sauce would be fantastic.
Cook 1 pound of rigatoni in salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, drain, then set aside.
While the pasta cooks, heat a bit of olive oil in a skillet over medium-low, then add 1 sliced onion and 3 sliced cloves of garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the onions start to turn translucent, then add six hot Italian sausage links, casings removed.
Cook, using a wooden spoon to break up the sausages until no bits of pink remain. (Actually, I found that using a potato masher helps to break down the sausage faster)
Add a small handful of fresh basil and one tablespoon of whole grain and Dijon mustard, and 2 teaspoons of smoked paprika, then cook until the basil wilts.
Add 2/3 cup of heavy cream, then bring that to a simmer and cook for another 4-5 minutes or until the cream thickens. Add the pasta, and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper, and add enough pasta water to get the sauce to your desired consistency.
Garnish with more basil leaves, then serve.
I need to get myself out to South Carolina at some point, because if these are the kinds of flavors that I can expect, then I think I’ll be very happy.
The sausage and sauce have a nice, rich flavor, but then that tangy mustard comes in to lift up the whole dish!
And that will be it for Part 4. I hope you enjoyed reading about these amazing pasta dishes as I’ve enjoyed coming up with and making them.
The final part will be ready before you know it, so stay tuned!
