Posted October 3, 2011
Countless hours go into preparing for a half or full marathon, along with a certain amount of determination. It’s not easy to pull on a pair of running shoes when it’s cold, wet and generally miserable outside, as it has been in spades this spring for Pittsburgh runners.
Come race day, then, you don’t want to blow all that hard work by forgetting about the importance of good nutrition. To cross the finish line in good shape, the 18,000 runners signed up for Sunday’s Pittsburgh Marathon need to head into the event well hydrated and well fueled.
Proper marathon nutrition is a balancing act: Eat and drink too little and your body could bonk out on you mid-race; eat too much of the wrong stuff (foods high in fat and fiber) and your run might come with a bellyache. Timing also is important, as food needs time to move through your system.
Carbohydrate-rich foods like pasta — a staple of a long-distance runner’s diet — typically are on the menu in the days leading up to a big race.
In the latest episode of the “Cooking With Gretchen” video series, running coach Phil Thompson of Elite Runners in Robinson talks about the importance of carbo-loading before endurance events like a full or half marathon, and also gives advice on how to properly do it. (Hint: Enjoy your substantial carb fest two or even three nights before the race so you feel light and comfortable during the race.)
He also helps make one of the dishes below — Pappardelle with Mixed Meat Sauce — which up the ante on the traditional marathon dish of spaghetti with meatballs and marinara.
Pink Taglierini (Taglierini rosa)
PG tested
Smoked salmon gives this easy sauce a lovely pink color while also adding some protein. Three-and-a-half ounces didn’t sound like enough fish, so I doubled the amount and also upped the cream and added a bit more wine.
The original recipe calls for serving the sauce on fresh taglierini, a type of ribbon pasta noodle that’s ideal for creamy, delicate sauces. But it also works with smooth-sided penne lisce (the tube’s hollow center holds sauce) or rigatoni and rotini.
— Gretchen McKay
–2 tablespoons butter
–2 tablespoons olive oil
–1 white onion, chopped fine
–1 garlic clove, chopped fine
–3 1/2 ounces canned chopped tomatoes
–3 ounces smoked salmon, cut into strips
–Scant 1 cup dry white wine
–2 tablespoons heavy cream
–1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
–10 ounces fresh taglierini
–1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives
–Salt and pepper
Melt butter with oil in a pan. Add onion and garlic and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and salmon and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Drizzle with wine and cook until alcohol has evaporated. Stir in cream and thyme, season with salt and pepper and heat through gently.
Meanwhile, cook taglierini or penne in plenty of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, tip into the pan with the sauce and toss for a few minutes. Sprinkle with chives and serve immediately.
Serves 3 to 4, depending on appetite.
— “The Silver Spoon: Pasta” (Phaidon, 2009, $39.95)
Pappardelle with Mixed Meat Sauce (Pappardelle al ragu misto)
PG tested
Pappardelle, a broad egg noodle that comes packaged in little “nests,” is one of my favorite pastas. Here, it’s topped with a robust meat sauce. I used a mix of ground beef and ground pork along with the pancetta, but you also could use just one or the other. It was even better the next day, after the flavors had time to mingle.
— Gretchen McKay
–4 tablespoons butter
–2 tablespoons olive oil
–1/2 white onion, chopped
–1/2 carrot, chopped
–1 celery stalk, chopped
–2 1/2 tablespoons pancetta or bacon, diced
–7 ounces ground beef or pork
–Pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
–Scant 1 cup red wine
–9 ounces canned chopped tomatoes
–10 ounces fresh or dried pappardelle
–1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
–Salt and pepper
Melt butter with the oil in a shallow pan. Add onion, carrot, celery and pancetta or bacon and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Stir in ground meat, season with salt and pepper and add nutmeg. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, for 5 to 8 minutes until the meat is lightly browned.
Pour in wine and cook until alcohol has evaporated, then add tomatoes. Cover and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally and adding a little hot water if the sauce is too thick, for 15 minutes.
Cook pappardelle in plenty of salted water according to package directions; if using fresh, cook for 2 to 3 minutes until al dente. Drain, tip into a warmed bowl and pour sauce over. Stir, sprinkle with Parmesan and serve immediately.
Serves 3 to 4, depending on appetite.
— “The Silver Spoon: Pasta” (Phaidon, 2009, $39.95)
Gretchen McKay: gmckay@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1419.
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