Nick Stellino's Pasta with Pine Nuts, Raisins, and Tomatoes

MANY THANKS TO NICK STELLINO, who has graciously offered several wonderful recipes for our February/March issue. Featured here: Pasta with Pine Nuts, Raisins, and Tomatoes.

I've been a fan of Nick Stellino's since his early PBS shows and cookbooks, including the wonderful "Cucina Amore," a compendium of traditional, delicious treats from antipasti to dolci, many accompanied by vignettes and memories of Stellino's Sicilian family. I loved it, and on many pages, I scribbled little notes of acclaim. I remember playing over and over a CD -- alas, now lost --of dinner music that came with the book.

And now, Nick is back with a new show on Create: Cooking with Friends. A companion cookbook was published last year.

You'll find lots of marvelous recipes on Nick's website: http://www.nickstellino.com

Pasta with Pine Nuts, Raisins and Tomatoes

Pasta Inchiummata

Serves 6

Ingredients

11/4 cups raisins

1 pound penne rigate

9 tablespoons olive oil

8 garlic cloves, thickly sliced

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

3/4 cup pine nuts

1 cup peeled, seeded and diced tomatoes (approximately 4-5 tomatoes)

4 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

4 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

Grated zest of one lemon

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

5 tablespoons Italian-style bread crumbs, toasted (See Chef's Tip.)

5 tablespoons freshly grated Romano cheese

Soak the raisins in 2 cups of water for 20 minutes. Drain and discard the water; set the raisins aside.

Cook the pasta in boiling water according to the directions on the package until al dente.
In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, heat the oil until sizzling, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic, red pepper flakes, raisins and pine nuts. Cook for 3 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes, parsley, basil, mint, lemon zest, salt and pepper, then cook for 3 more minutes. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce. Cook until the pasta is coated with the sauce, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Toss the pasta in the pan with the bread crumbs. Turn off the heat. Add the cheese and stir well.

Chef's tip. To make toasted bread crumbs, heat a nonstick pan over high heat for 2 minutes. Add the bread crumbs, reduce the heat to low, and stir well for 1 to 2 minutes, until the bread crumbs start to brown. Pour the bread crumbs onto a plate to cool off until ready to use.