Emmy-award winning actor Danny DeVito loves to cook even when he’s on a set shooting a movie. He told our food correspondent Linda Gassenheimer that his trailer is stocked with olive oil, garlic, herbs and pasta. “Between takes, the crew comes over and sits out on the stoop with their plates,” says DeVito. His favorite recipes…

Pasta Siciliana

    6 Tablespoons olive oil, divided use
    1 cup bread crumbs
    5 anchovies
    5 medium garlic cloves, crushed
    ¼ pound linguine
    Salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet. Add the bread crumbs, and lightly roll them in the oil with a spatula until they are golden brown, about five minutes. Remove to a bowl, and add the remaining four tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet with the anchovies and garlic. Sauté gently until the anchovies melt into the sauce, two to three minutes.

Cook the linguine according to package instructions. Drain and add to the skillet. Toss well, and add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle half the bread crumbs on top, and serve the rest in a bowl to be passed like grated cheese. Makes two servings.

Pasta alla Carrettiera

The English translation of this one-pot dish is “cart driver’s pasta” because cart drivers had only one pot to use. The uncooked sauce “cooks” in the heat of the boiled pasta. Danny makes his sauce using a mortar and pestle…or you can blend the ingredients for 30 seconds in a food processor.

    1 small bunch mint leaves (about 1 cup of leaves)
    4 medium garlic cloves, peeled
    2 peeled tomatoes
    1 Tablespoon olive oil
    Salt and freshly ground pepper
    ¼ pound pasta shells
    ⅓ cup grated pecorino cheese

Mash the mint leaves and garlic with a mortar and pestle. Quarter the tomatoes, and mash with the mint and garlic. Add the olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Bring a large saucepan filled with water to a boil. Add the pasta shells, and cook according to package directions.

Drain well, and place the pasta in a bowl. Add the sauce, and mix well. Sprinkle the pecorino cheese on top. Makes two servings.

LImoncello Dessert

    ½ cup Pellegrino water (or other sparkling water)
    Candied lemon curls (see below)
    1½ ounces limoncello liqueur

Freeze sparkling water in ice-cube trays. Use a blender to crush the ice, as for a snow cone. Place the crushed ice in a small martini glass (or any glass with a stem). Place candied lemon curls on the ice. Pour limoncello over the ice. Serve immediately. Makes one serving.

Candied Lemon Curls

    1 lemon
    2 cups water, boiling
    ¾ cup sugar

Cut very thin strips of lemon peel, and add to boiling water until soft. Add the sugar to the water, and boil until the peels are transparent. Drain. Makes one serving.

Related Articles