How To Pull An Incredible Meal Out Of Your Back Pocket

The secrets
to life-changing pasta are probably hiding in the back of your pantry, just
waiting to become an inspired dinner. Just ask Colu Henry, who started her #backpocketpasta series on Instagram when she found herself in a predicament that we can all relate to: coming home after a long, draining day and wanting to cook something healthy, delicious, and satisfying, without laboring for hours over the stove. She played with easy-to-find pantry-ingredient combinations and gave the project a clever hashtag — and the rest is food
porn history.   

We celebrated Colu’s Back Pocket Pasta cookbook-to-be at an intimate dinner at
the gorgeous Scribe Winery in Sonoma. For a dinner party of 25 of wine country’s best, brightest, coolest
wine and food personalities, Colu cooked up one of her simple, yet totally to-die-for-delicious, recipes: fusilli with toasted walnuts, caramelized onion, oregano, feta. Who knew just five ingredients could taste like magic?! This crowd was tough to impress, but everyone dug in for seconds (and thirds) — proof that this woman knows her way around a
noodle and a pantry. Of course, we just had to learn her secrets, so we asked Colu to give us her 10 pantry
must-haves and tips for making the perfect #backpocketpasta. 

Really Good Olive Oil
"Good
olive oil is really essential. Look for the word unfiltered, and try to find a Sicilian olive oil. When I can, I go to Arthur Avenue in the Bronx
to buy it from this store called Teitel Brothers. More widely available is Filippo Berrio and California Olive Ranch, which work great, too."

Walnuts 
"I
like to toast them and throw them in to give the pasta another layer of texture, kind of a crunch. In the
book I include a recipe that combines walnuts with San Marzano canned tomatoes
(more on these in a moment) and basil. Toasted walnuts also work great with some ricotta."

Anchovy Paste 
"I’m a big fan of anchovy paste. It adds a lot of saltiness and depth that I love. Two great dish ideas are winter greens, anchovies, garlic, and breadcrumbs, or a traditional pasta puttanesca. I know some people might be turned off by anchovies, but I promise you they are not too fishy — they melt beautifully in olive oil and add a salty umami flavor that is addictive!"

San Marzano Tomatoes 
"I
always have two or three cans on hand all the time. The whole-tomato cans are
the best, and then I crush them with my hands. I usually add three quarters of a can full of water,
too, and reduce it on the stove. You can make a marinara sauce with just olive
oil, onion, garlic, and lots of flat-leaf Italian parsley, or a puttanesca. You
can add chili to it and make it spicy, or you can add seafood to it."

Chili Peppers 
"My
mom dries her own, or I buy whatever I can find freshest. I include My Cousin Jon’s Spicy Red Sauce in the
book, which is killer and uses tons of chili. It contains
olive oil; two to three chili peppers (fresh or dried); onion; carrot; freshly chopped
herbs such as marjoram, thyme and/or rosemary; Hungarian paprika; red wine; and
a can of San Marzano tomatoes." 

Pecorino

Colu is a big Pecorino fan and
recommends a simple "caccio e pepe with butter,
pepper, pasta water, and Pecorino. Or, an even simpler plate of pasta with just Pecorino and flat-leaf
parsley."    

Panko Bread Crumbs
"I’m
a firm believer in store-bought bread crumbs because you can season them
yourself. They last a long time — just keep them in the fridge. In general, I use
them as toppings. I’ll plate the pasta and then add it as a garnish. I love using Panko bread crumbs as a topping for some pastas for added
texture. I flavor my own with citrus that I have on hand, such as lemon or
oranges. One of my favorites is linguini with sardines and raisins topped
with lemon-zested bread crumbs." 

Canned White Beans
"I always have a few cans around to pull together a quick pasta,
either Progresso, Goya, or Eden Organics. All are perfect for pasta fagioli, or
pasta
with little meatballs, white beans, and greens — a take on Italian wedding soup!" 

Arugula

"Throw
it in at the end so it wilts. I’ll buy the prewashed arugula, or any kind of
green, and it wilts nicely and gives a little crunch."