Pasta Station Recipe

Bring a very large pot of water to a rolling boil (approx. 6–8 quarts). Add 2 tablespoons kosher salt per gallon of water. Cook selected pastas separately to package al dente times: dried pastas 8–11 minutes, fresh egg pasta 2–4 minutes. Reserve 1–2 cups of pasta cooking water before draining. Drain pasta and toss with 1–2 tablespoons olive oil to prevent sticking; keep warm in covered hotel pans or simmering pans set to low heat.

Sauté Aromatics

Heat 3 tbs olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrot, and celery and sauté until softened and translucent, about 8–10 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute more.

Brown Meat

Increase heat to medium-high. Add ground beef and pork, breaking up with a spoon. Cook until no longer pink and starting to brown, about 8 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook 2 minutes to caramelize.

Simmer Sauce

Deglaze with red wine (if using), scraping up browned bits. Add crushed tomatoes, stock, oregano, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low and simmer partially covered for 45–60 minutes, stirring occasionally. If sauce reduces too much, add small amounts of stock or reserved pasta water.

Finish

Stir in milk or cream and grated Parmesan; simmer 5–10 minutes to meld flavors. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Keep warm; reheat gently if necessary, thinning with reserved pasta water to desired consistency when serving.

Prepare Vegetables

Blanch broccoli florets in salted boiling water for 1–2 minutes until bright green and slightly tender; shock in ice water and drain. Sauté sliced zucchini in 1 tbs olive oil over medium-high heat for 2–3 minutes until lightly browned. Wilt spinach briefly and set aside.

Make Alfredo Sauce

Melt 6 tbs butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant. Add cream (or crème fraîche) and bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce heat to low and whisk in grated Parmesan and ricotta (if using) until smooth. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

Combine

Add blanched broccoli, sautéed zucchini, and spinach to the sauce and warm through. If sauce is too thick, loosen with reserved pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time, until desired coating consistency is reached. Keep warm for service.

Sear Seafood

In a large wide skillet or two skillets over medium-high heat, warm 2 tbs olive oil and 3 tbs butter. Season shrimp and scallops with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Sear shrimp 1–2 minutes per side until opaque; transfer to a plate. Sear scallops 1–2 minutes per side until golden; transfer to plate.

Make Sauce

Lower heat to medium, add remaining 3 tbs butter and sliced garlic. Cook garlic 1 minute until fragrant (do not brown). Add white wine, lemon juice, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes. Simmer 2–3 minutes to reduce slightly.

Finish

Return shrimp and scallops to the skillet and toss gently to coat and heat through, about 1–2 minutes. Stir in chopped parsley and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. If needed, add a splash of reserved pasta water to loosen. Keep warm and serve over pasta.

Cook Pancetta/Bacon and Chicken

In a large sauté pan over medium heat, add pancetta or bacon and cook until crisp, about 6–8 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and reserve fat in pan. Add 2 tbs olive oil if needed and increase heat to medium-high. Add diced chicken, season with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper, and sauté until cooked through and golden, about 6–8 minutes. Return pancetta to the pan and stir.

Prepare Egg Mixture

In a bowl, whisk together 6 whole eggs, 2 egg yolks, grated cheese, and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper until smooth.

Assemble Carbonara

Off heat (very important to prevent scrambling), add freshly drained hot pasta to the pan with chicken and pancetta. Toss to combine. Slowly add the egg-and-cheese mixture while tossing continuously so the residual heat gently cooks the eggs into a creamy sauce. If needed, add reserved pasta water, a few tablespoons at a time, to reach silky consistency. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Serve immediately with extra grated cheese.

Arrange two warmed pastas in hotel pans or steam tables. Place each sauce in a separate covered pan and keep warm on low heat or in a steam table. Provide garnishes (grated cheeses, chopped herbs, red pepper flakes, lemon wedges, toasted pine nuts, olive oil) in bowls for guests to finish their plates. For a live station (+$10), set up a chef with a large sauté pan to finish portions to order: heat sauce, combine with pasta, finish with garnish and plate in front of guests. Maintain food safety: hold hot items at 140°F (60°C) or hotter and discard any perishable components left out over 2 hours.