Spring book sale report, day one

Time again for one of our favorite events of the year, the first Friday evening of the biannual Friends of the Library book sale. This time around I found hardly anything that was actually on my list, but I still came away with some interesting finds that I wasn't looking for, or previously aware of in most cases, which is one of the best things about the book sale: being able to take some flyers on books you've never heard of for only $1 or $2. Here's my haul from day one:

This is what $21 buys you at the book sale

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So, here is a recipe that no one but me will probably ever make. It comes from one of the unlikeliest sources ever: The Mafia Cookbook. My buddy and fellow foodie Ed sent this recipe my way many years ago, but I had never made it due to rampant vegetarianism in our house, in addition to seeming insanely rich. But I spoke to Ed recently and he said he was making a double recipe for his wife's book club (!), which sold me on trying it while Brad was away dogsitting.

 

And wow, this was stellar. It's chock full of some of the best stuff Italy has to offer: a specialty pasta from Puglia, Parmesan cheese and prosciutto, and a whole lot of extra-virgin olive oil, with some butter thrown in for good measure. It doesn't get much better than that. Fortunately, Mom had dinner out with her friends the next day, so I got to have all the leftovers for myself.

Orecchiette with Peas and Prosciutto

Adapted from The Mafia Cookbook (2001) by Joseph “Joe Dogs” Iannuzzi

Time: ~37 minutes

I usually use the full 2 tablespoons when cooking pasta, but I dialed it back here just a bit because of the saltiness of the prosciutto and cheese

1 pound orecchiette
1–2 tablespoons fine sea salt (see note)
100 grams (~½ cup) extra-virgin olive oil
½ pound/227 grams relatively thick-cut prosciutto, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 tablespoon diced shallot
150 grams (1½ cups) fresh or frozen peas
28 grams (2 tablespoons) butter, cut into pieces
28 grams (~½ cup) freshly grated Parmesan cheese

    1. Bring 4 quarts of water to a roiling boil in a large, covered stockpot over high heat. Stir in the fine sea salt until dissolved. Add the pasta and stir a few times during the first minute or two to keep it from sticking. Cook until al dente. Drain quickly (not too thoroughly), then transfer to a large serving bowl.
    2. Meanwhile, warm the oil in a large skillet over medium (or a notch below) heat. Stir in the prosciutto and fry until almost crisp.
    3. Clear a space in the center of the skillet; drop the shallot into the space and cook until softened and translucent but not browned, about 2–3 minutes.
    4. Stir in the peas, and cook until warmed through, reducing the heat as needed so the oil just bubbles gently around the peas and prosciutto.
    5. Immediately after transferring the pasta to the bowl, add the butter and toss until almost melted. Add the cheese, a handful at a time, while continuing to toss the pasta. Stir in the pea and prosciutto mixture. Serve promptly. Serves 4.