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pasta alla norma

Posted by Stacy · 9 Comments 

Have you ever been to Sicily? A little over two years ago my Mom and I spent a few weeks there. It was a bit of a spontaneous trip so we didn’t do much research before going; we were amazed at the beauty and all of the delicious food. The island’s climate supports almost all kinds of agricultural produce except for pineapples. Figs, olives, grapes, wheat, tomatoes, eggplant, prickly pears, almonds, artichokes, capers, blood oranges — all of it grows locally there.

Here we are at a scenic overlook near Scopello.

mom and me in sicily

As a minor history lesson the island also changed hands many times. In addition to their current status as an autonomous region of Italy, Sicily was also ruled by Greeks, Romans, Arabs, and the French, among others. Each rule added their own religion, cuisine, and architecture to the culture of the island. The results are often beautiful, complex, and delicious.

In addition to eating my body weight in ricotta cheese, we also enjoyed some traditionally Sicilian dishes in various incarnations during our visit. One of our favorites was the ubiquitous pasta alla Norma. Norma isn’t a person, it’s a reference to the Norman French who once governed there and had some good ideas about what to do with eggplant.

Handmade pasta in Piazza Armerina

We ate this combination of eggplant, tomatoes, garlic, basil, and grated ricotta salata cheese on pasta and pizza in almost every city. Here was handmade pasta in Piazza Armerina.

Salvatore - Trinacria in Cefalu

When we started chatting with Salvatore, the owner of a wine and gourmet food shop in Cefalù, he insisted on us sampling some vintages, then went upstairs and cooked us dinner (pasta alla Norma, of course) to go with it.

In the medieval town of Erice we finally found a Sicilian cookbook in English that actually had the recipes we wanted. The translation isn’t great and some of the directions are a bit sketchy (measurements are often “handful” and “tuft”), but it managed to get pasta alla Norma on my table which is good enough for me! Who needs armchair travel when you can have stove top travel?

The first time I made this was for when my mother- and sister-in-law came over for dinner; they were almost ready for seconds by the time I sat down at the table.

pasta alla norma

The recipe from the cookbook is a little time-consuming, but it turns out extremely well. Two things are most vexing upon reading the recipe: salting and draining the eggplant for an hour, and blanching and peeling the tomatoes. The photos here show a version that isn’t quite proportionate to the recipe because of quantities included in our CSA, but I also skipped those two steps and it turned out fine. Honestly, blanching and peeling the tomatoes makes for a nicer texture, but it still tastes good if you skip it.

The other key is the cheese on top. Fresh ricotta is the “queen of creams” in Sicilian desserts, but the ricotta used in this recipe is ricotta salata, a dry salty cheese quite different from the soft cheese that probably comes to mind. In a pinch, feta cheese would work, but the ricotta is really lovely here. It’s grated and then toasted, lending a nutty flavor and some crunch to the dish.

Even the Veggie-Hating Husband gobbles this up. I made a full recipe and took leftovers for lunch; when’s the last time you were excited for leftovers?

Flipping through the cookbook to reference this recipe reminded me of all the other dishes from that trip I want to make and haven’t yet. Hopefully I will soon, and I will share them — and some more trip photos — with you!

pasta alla norma

Pasta alla Norma

Inspired by Treasures of Sicilian Cuisine
Serves 4-6

If you’re using a large eggplant you probably want to salt and drain it to prevent bitterness. I used two small eggplants so I skipped that step and was fine. Eggplant also absorbs a lot of oil when it cooks, so I amended the recipe a bit to help counteract that. Salted ricotta can be found at grocery stores with good cheese departments.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound bucatini or other long pasta
  • 1 medium or 2 small eggplants
  • 2 pounds ripe tomatoes
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1/4 cup loosely-packed fresh basil leaves
  • 1/3 cup olive oil, divided
  • 3 ounces salted ricotta
  • salt and pepper
  • kosher salt for eggplant

Directions:

  1. Dice eggplant. Place in a colander and sprinkle with kosher salt. Let drain about one hour. Rinse.
  2. Bring a saucepan full of water to a boil. Slice a small “X” in the base of each tomato and add the tomatoes to the boiling water. Cook about 10 minutes and drain. Peel tomatoes, remove seeds, and chop roughly.
  3. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet. Brown garlic in oil then remove garlic from pan. Add tomatoes, most of the basil (chopped), and a pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat until the sauce simmers and thickens.
  4. Cook pasta according to directions until al dente. Drain.
  5. In another pan, heat about 1/4 cup of oil over medium heat. Add eggplant and cook until browned. Add a tablespoon or two of water to deglaze the pan and prevent sticking when needed.
  6. Grate ricotta cheese. Place on a pan and bake at 350F until golden brown. Stir occasionally.
  7. Add cooked pasta and eggplant to the tomato sauce. Toss to combine. Serve garnished with a crack of pepper, the rest of the basil, and the toasted ricotta.

pasta alla norma

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August 5, 2010 · Tagged with , , , ,

everyday, food

grandma’s favorite greek (to me) pasta

Posted by Stacy · 2 Comments 

We did a really good job eating all of our CSA veggies a few weeks ago. Normally we have a few things skulking around the back of the fridge somewhere, but just before our latest share arrived we were pretty much done. I was proud of us, until I went to make dinner and realized that we didn’t have any produce. Huh. A little digging in the pantry provided a can of artichoke hearts, the fridge had a little spinach and the dregs of a jar of olives. Good enough for me!

Last year when I was taking care of my grandma I made her lunch three times a week. At first she had some reservations; what kind of crazy hippie vegetarian food would I make? The dish I made most often (at her request!) was a variation on this pasta dish. It’s quite versatile — I didn’t have tomatoes or feta on hand, so I just left them out — and quick to mix up.

greek pasta

Even my husband will eat spinach in this dish! It’s good without tomatoes, it’s better with them, so they’re not in the photos but they are in the recipe. This is one of those times you can “veggie-load” your dish — the more tomatoes and spinach you add, the less pasta you’ll need to eat to feel full.

Other nice additions are eggplant, red pepper and zucchini or summer squash. This same topping also makes for a really nice pizza!

The most time-consuming steps of this are cooking the pasta and preheating your oven. I like to roast the tomatoes in my toaster oven because it heats up faster and doesn’t heat up the kitchen as much. If you’re in most of the country (it’s 62F and cloudy here) and it’s hot, don’t roast the tomatoes first, just toss them in at the end. Put the pasta water on to boil before you slice the onion and tomatoes, then do the rest of the chopping when the onion is cooking. I can whip this together in about 20 minutes!

greek pasta

Greek (to me) Pasta

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients:

  • 4 ounces dry pasta (linguine or penne are my favorites, I only had spaghetti)
  • 1/2 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano or 2 teaspoons fresh
  • 1 shallot or small onion, diced
  • 2-3 cups fresh spinach leaves, rinsed and (if large) chopped
  • 4-6 canned artichoke hearts, rinsed, drained, and cut into quarters
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4-6 kalamata olives, sliced into rings
  • ground black pepper
  • Feta cheese (optional)

Directions:

  1. Boil pasta until al dente. Drain.
  2. Preheat oven or toaster oven to 425F. While pasta is cooking, slice tomatoes in half and place them cut side down on a baking sheet. Roast in the oven or toaster oven about 10 minutes until tomatoes are wrinkled and slightly browned. Remove from oven.
  3. Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add oregano and onion and stir briefly, cooking until onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Add spinach, artichoke hearts, and garlic. Cook until spinach is wilted and artichoke hearts are warmed through. Add tomatoes and drained pasta. Stir together.
  4. Serve topped with olives, pepper, and cheese if using.

greek pasta

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July 8, 2010 · Tagged with , , , ,

everyday, food

summer squash and goat cheese pasta

Posted by Stacy · 10 Comments 

It’s almost that time of summer when the question on everyone’s lips becomes, “What can I do with all this zucchini?” One episode of A Prairie Home Companion (dork alert!) called it the time of year when people have to lock their car doors for fear of coming out of the store to find a bag of squash left stealthily on their front seat.

We only ever grew one zucchini plant in our patio garden and that was two years ago. It produced a maximum of three tiny squash per week which was perfect, because zucchini and summer squash are on the seemingly-endless list of foods my Veggie-Hating Husband does not like. Never having been a fan of quick breads, I prefer to incorporate squash into savory dishes. In fact, I’ve found a squash dish that the Veggie-Hater actually likes!

The irony, of course, is that the magic ingredient is goat cheese. It’s only strange because for the first, oh, two or three years we were together he wouldn’t eat goat cheese, either. Somehow combining the two works, though, and I am not going to argue because I think it’s a tasty meal and it’s quick and easy to throw together.

squash and goat cheese pasta

In this instance I used round yellow Floridor squash because that’s what came in the CSA box. Often I use half zucchini and half crookneck squash for a nice mix of colors.

Zucchini and summer squash don’t have a terribly strong flavor on their own; it’s hard to say they taste especially delicious alone. The flavor here comes from garlic and onions, the texture from the goat cheese, but the bulk is the squash. Technically fruit, squash is mostly water (over 90%) and a bit of fiber stocked with vitamins and minerals. It’s a fantastic source of vitamin C and extremely low in calories. This dish uses the squash to bulk up pasta; you can eat a larger volume of food and add some nutrients without a huge amount of extra calories. I’ve actually started weighing my dry pasta to make sure I’m only using a two ounce serving, and with this much squash it was a little too much food.

For a little comparison, you could eat either one “bloomin’ onion” appetizer from the steakhouse, or you could eat 25 pounds of zucchini for the same amount of calories. I’m not saying anyone should really be eating 25 pounds of anything in one sitting, but maybe you shouldn’t eat the bloomin’ onion, either. Something to consider!

How do you handle zucchini overload?

squash and goat cheese pasta

Summer Squash and Goat Cheese Pasta

Serves 2

Since my squash was yellow and some CSA micro basil was languishing in the fridge I tossed the basil on for color. I also didn’t use as much goat cheese as usual in the photos. The proper amount is listed below. If you save some for lunch the next day add a little extra pasta water before you put it in the fridge so it doesn’t dry out.

Ingredients:

  • 3 ounces dry long pasta
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/4 cup diced onion
  • 10 ounces zucchini and/or summer squash
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
  • 2-3 ounces goat cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Boil pasta in well-salted water until slightly al dente. Reserve about 1 cup pasta water. Drain pasta.
  2. If using long, slender squash, slice them into coins. If using wider squash, cut them into half moons or reasonably even dice. Heat oil over medium heat in a large saute pan and add onion. Cook about a minute and add squash. Cook about five minutes until squash is starting to brown lightly. Stir in garlic and cook another minute. Remove pan from heat.
  3. Crumble the goat cheese. Gradually add all but a few tablespoons to the pasta, stirring well. Add a splash of pasta water to help combine the mixture. Sprinkle on salt and lemon zest, add squash, and toss well. Add more pasta water if needed.
  4. Serve topped with remaining goat cheese and a grind of black pepper on top. Garnish with fresh basil or flat-leaf parsley if desired.

squash and goat cheese pasta

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June 24, 2010 · Tagged with , , , , ,

everyday

simple sesame peanut noodles

Posted by Stacy · 4 Comments 

Sometimes it’s hard to post “everyday” dishes. It’s more fun to post grand culinary adventures or epic baking projects. Everyday dishes are what I toss together without measuring after realizing that I should have eaten an hour ago and my blood sugar level has dropped precipitously to the point where I am having trouble deciding how to best feed myself. The food gets slopped on a plate and inhaled quickly. Only then, my blood sugar at a more reasonable level, do I consider that I should have written down the ingredients and taken a photo.

This is one of those dishes, but I promised a friend I would measure and post the recipe. I’ve made this dish three times since I told her that, but this is the time I actually thought about the measurements and took photos. The great thing about sesame peanut noodles is that you can vary it so many ways depending on the temperature, your mood, and the contents of your fridge. Serve it warm, cold, or room temperature. Add some protein or veggies. It can be as complex or basic as you want.

sesame peanut noodles

One thing that motivated me to make this dish was the cucumbers from our CSA. It hasn’t been hot enough to make cucumbers that appealing to me, so adding them to a heartier dish made it work for me.

First I want to share a fun trick! The cucumbers work best for this cut into matchsticks (julienned) but their cylindrical shape leads to a lot of waste. Instead, slice the cucumber at a sharp angle into long planks. Stack the planks more evenly, then slice them lengthwise into sticks. Much easier, faster, and more economical. Also works for carrots!

julienne cucumbersjulienne cucumbers

This round I didn’t get too fancy. Noodles, sauce, and sesame seeds served with some cucumber and crunchy pea shoots from the CSA share. The freshness of the vegetables really helped cut the richness of the sauce. Oh, and they’re good for me.

Simple Sesame Peanut Noodles

Yields 2 servings

This is a basic recipe with so much room for variation. Add broccoli, tofu, shrimp, or chicken. Garnish with sprouts or cilantro. Add sauteed Napa cabbage and scallions. Make extra for lunch the next day or take it on a picnic.

Ingredients:

  • 4 ounces dry long pasta such as whole wheat spaghetti or soba
  • 1 small cucumber
  • 3 tablespoons peanut butter (creamy or crunchy)
  • 1 tablespoon peanut, sesame, or vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
  • 2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Directions:

  1. Cook pasta according to instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water. Drain.
  2. Cut cucumber into small matchsticks about 2 inches long.
  3. In a medium bowl combine peanut butter, oils, soy sauce, and vinegar. Whisk. Stir in minced garlic.
  4. Add cooked pasta to sauce. Toss to coat. If sauce seems too thick, add some of the reserved pasta water. Serve warm, room temperature, or cool, garnished with cucumber.

sesame peanut noodles

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June 4, 2010 · Tagged with , , ,

food

rosemary pasta with basic tomato sauce

Posted by Stacy · 5 Comments 

Making fresh pasta has been a goal of mine for a while. I don’t have a pasta roller and I eat dinner alone most nights, so it seemed like a lot of work just for myself. As motivation I decided to invite some friends over for a little pasta party. Work-intensive dishes are more fun when there are more people to appreciate them!

Due to poor time management on my part my guests arrived considerably before the pasta was ready. Luckily we always have wine and beer on hand which distracted them until dinner was served. They forgave me and said that fresh pasta was worth the wait!

I was skeptical as there were almost leftovers, but when I started to clear the table there was a sudden flurry of offers to polish off the last of the pasta. The last serving ended up split four ways. I was mollified.

handmade pasta

I don’t have a pasta roller or cutter other than a rolling pin and a bench knife. I decided on wide ribbons of pappardelle spiked with minced fresh rosemary. Basil or parsley would also work nicely. The fresh herbs just add a nice kick and some pretty color to the noodles. The keys to rolling out pasta with just a rolling pin are letting the dough rest long enough for the gluten to relax and using enough flour to prevent sticking.

With fresh pasta the noodles should shine, so I chose a simple red sauce with three ingredients: tomatoes, butter, and an onion. Though the recipe actually says to discard the onion, a number of comments on this post suggest spreading the onion on bread or other such uses which are less wasteful.

red sauce

This humble sauce is remarkably bright and flavorful, and ridiculously easy to make. It takes less than an hour, mostly unattended. Double the recipe and put the extra in the fridge for your own “jarred” sauce.

Two salads, some bowls full of wide noodles, and a bowl of tomato sauce made for a solid dinner. The wine and the company definitely helped. An appetizer of patience (…beer) and butterscotch bars for dessert rounded out a lovely evening. Next time I’ll start the pasta dough before the guests arrive.

handmade pasta

Handmade Pappardelle

Adapted from Raccoon and Lobster
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
400 grams (14.1 oz) flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:
1.) In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and rosemary. Add eggs and oil and mix until combined. Knead until smooth. Add small amounts of water or flour as needed so that dough is neither dry nor sticky. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes.

2.) Use a bench knife to cut the dough into 6-8 pieces of approximately equal size. Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour and use a rolling pin to roll each piece of dough into as thin a rectangle as possible. If the dough shrinks back, let the dough rest for a few minutes and try another piece. When the dough is rolled thinly, fold it over on itself a few times until you have a stack about 3-4 inches wide. Use a bench knife to cut the dough into 3/4″ wide strips. Uncoil and hang noodles until the rest of the dough is cut into ribbons.

3.) Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add noodles and cook 2-3 minutes until tender. Serve immediately to family and friends.

Tomato Sauce with Butter and Onion

Adapted from Marcela Hazan’s Essentials of Italian Cooking

Ingredients:
1 large can (28 ounces, 400 grams) whole peeled tomatoes (preferably San Marzano, though I did not use them)
5 tablespoons (70 grams) unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and cut in half
salt to taste

Directions:
1.) In a medium (3-quart) saucepan, combine the tomatoes, butter, and onion. Bring to a simmer then lower the heat and simmer gently for about 45 minutes. Stir occasionally, crushing the tomatoes against the pan with a spoon. When the sauce is ready, droplets of fat should float on the surface on the sauce. Remove onion and add salt if needed. Serve warm over pasta. Best enjoyed with good company and a glass of wine.

handmade pasta

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April 2, 2010 · Tagged with , , , ,

everyday, food

quick pasta with greens and beans

Posted by Stacy · 2 Comments 

I’m working on more “everyday foods” posts, but it’s a little more challenging than I anticipated! You would think it would be easier, as it’s sort of what I eat… everyday. Hence, “everyday foods.” Right? Right.

The problem is that I either forget to take photos, or if I do take photos, I barely remember what I put in. Most of my regular lunches or dinners are tossed together based on what’s in the fridge. This week I have subsisting mostly on sauteed greens and Fuji apples (not together). There are a lot of greens at my house, what can I say?

I’m trying, though. Here’s a dish I’ve made a few times with slight variations. It’s tasty and really really good for you! I’m talking around 25% of your total iron and protein for the day.

pasta with greens and beans

Whole wheat pasta is tossed with sauteed kale, cooked chickpeas, lightly caramelized onions and garlic, then topped with a dusting of Parmesan cheese. Simple, easy, and delicious. Whee!

Whole Wheat Pasta with Chickpeas and Kale

Serves 2

If you use canned beans, they may be salty, and the cheese adds some immediate salt, too. If you season the pasta water, the dish should not need any additional salt.

Ingredients:
4 ounces dry whole wheat pasta (I used spaghetti)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch kale (I had blue scotch kale), stems removed, chopped
2/3 cup chickpeas (canned or cooked), rinsed and drained
fresh grated Parmesan cheese and black pepper

Directions:
1.) Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to directions on package. Reserve 1 cup pasta water. Drain pasta.

2.) While waiting for the water to boil, heat a skillet over medium heat. When hot, add olive oil and onion, stirring until onion is coated with oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions have started to brown, about five minutes. Add a tablespoon or so of pasta water to de-glaze the pan.

3.) Pull the onions to the sides of the pan to clear the center. Add kale and garlic. Stir well. Add a quarter cup of pasta water and let kale wilt, stirring occasionally.

4.) When most of the water has cooked off and kale is dark green and tender, add chickpeas and pasta. Add more pasta water if needed to prevent the pasta from getting dry. Toss a few times until chickpeas are heated through. Top with Parmesan cheese and black pepper and serve immediately.

pasta with greens and beans

February 27, 2010 · Tagged with , ,

food

one-pot pasta

Posted by Stacy · 6 Comments 


The cupboards and fridge are starting to look a little bare — which is good! — and cobbling together an actual meal is getting harder. Not only am I getting tired of trying to figure out my own never-ending episode of one-woman Iron Chef (walleye, edamame, and cabbage???), I’m tired of doing dishes.

When I came across some crumbled goat cheese leftover from a salad from the weekend, I was excited to have a new ingredient! Even better, I made lunch in one pot and one bowl. Add fork. Eat. It was good, too.

penne with peas and goat cheese

It’s a simple dish of pasta, peas (I used frozen because we have to use them up!), goat cheese, a splash of lemon juice, salt, pepper, basil, and mint. It takes the same amount of time as making a box of Mac ‘n’ Cheese; just swap out “chop herbs” for “cut off hunk of butter.” Add the pasta and peas to boiling water (both the penne I used and the peas said to boil for 6 minutes) and cook until pasta is done. Reserve up to a cup of pasta water before draining pasta/pea combo.

In your pasta bowl, sprinkle a few tablespoons of goat cheese. Add a little pasta water and stir until goat cheese is fairly melted. Add pasta and peas, tossing to coat. Add more pasta water if needed (add more than you think you need as the pasta will absorb it and dry out) and a splash of lemon juice to really make the peas stand out. Top with salt, pepper, and fresh minced basil and mint.

Ideally it would contain some onion or garlic, but that would require another pan. A little garlic on top wouldn’t hurt, or some scallions. Add enough salt and you’ll be fine.

penne with peas and goat cheese

Creamy One-Pot Penne with Peas

Serves 1

Ingredients
3/4 cup dried penne pasta
1/2 cup frozen peas
1-2 ounces goat cheese
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon fresh basil, minced
1 teaspoon fresh mint, minced
salt and pepper, to taste

In a small or medium saucepan, bring salted water to a boil. Add pasta and peas. Return to a boil and follow instructions on pasta package. Reserve 1/2 to 1 cup pasta water. Drain pasta and peas.

Crumble goat cheese in a pasta bowl. Mix in a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water until mixture forms a paste. Thin with more pasta water if needed. Add pasta and peas to cheese and stir until coated. Add a splash of lemon juice and mix well. Top with salt, pepper, and basil and mint.

August 8, 2009 · Tagged with

food, household

pantry-buster pasta

Posted by Stacy · Leave a Comment 

As you may recall, we’re moving soon. In addition to packing, we are also trying to get rid of a lot of stuff. Most of it is stuff that ended up in the closet and we forgot about it. Some of it is food.

Since we confirmed the move, I have been trying to only buy fresh ingredients – nothing dried, in bulk, or in large quantities. It’s pantry-busting time! I’ve been doing ok for the most part, but we’re starting to run low on some things.

One reason that I haven’t been posting much is that my meals have been a bit weird. I’ve been on a pretty solid rotation of pasta or rice covered in veggies (what Alicia might call hippie chow). Seriously, lunch today was a rice bowl covered with a saute of 1/3 block sliced tempeh, 3 chopped-up leaves of kale, garlic, and half an onion. It’s what we have! Tonight had the same theme, except that everything is prettier with a macro lens:

ring pasta with edamame

There was a bag of ring-shaped pasta floating around the cupboard, so that got boiled up. About 3 minutes before the pasta was done, I added in part of a bag of frozen edamame to boil with the noodles (fewer dirty pans!). In a small saute pan, I melted some butter and tossed in a clove of minced garlic to cook a bit. I also added a 1/2 teaspoon of dried basil because I was too lazy to get fresh herbs from the patio.

In my defense, I had just spent two hours on the phone with tech support trying to get our internet back up and running. Sigh. I was hungry!

I drained the pasta/beans, then put them in a pasta bowl. The butter mixture was topped off with a dollop of olive oil, then drizzled over the noodles. Salt, pepper, and grated Parmesan cheese topped off the dish.

While not earth-shattering, it was tasty and filling. Most important, it helped empty out my cupboards! Tomorrow I have to make bread so my husband can have grilled cheese sandwiches and Campbell’s tomato soup this week. He stocked up on soup that I don’t like, and now it’s biting him in the bum.

August 4, 2009 · Tagged with ,

food

pasta with garlic almond sauce

Posted by Stacy · Leave a Comment 

My husband actually got home from work before I left for rehearsal tonight! Of course, I hadn’t planned to make us both dinner. I suggested a garlicky pasta we had tried a few months ago which he had liked for which we had all the ingredients. I thought.

New rule: Always check to see if your spouse has been snacking on your pantry items (like almonds) before starting a recipe. Sigh. I scraped by, but you will note the lack of toasted almonds on top of the pasta. My basil isn’t big enough to harvest yet, so I just used mint.

pasta in garlic almond sauce

Last time I used blender; this time I used my food processor. While the food processor is easier to clean, I think the blender made a smoother sauce, so that is my recommendation. The recipe serves 6, so I make half and can still save one serving for lunch the next day!

The garlic is flavorful but not overwhelming. The pureed almonds and pasta water give the sauce a nice creaminess without any cream. You could add zucchini or asparagus, I’m sure, but it’s nice as-is just with the bright green peas.

Pasta in Garlic-Almond Sauce
Serves 6
Adapted from Gourmet April 2009

  • 3/4 cup whole blanched almonds (4 oz)
  • 3 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1 lb cavatappi or other small tubular pasta
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 1 (10-oz) package frozen peas
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano plus additional for serving
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup basil leaves (torn if large), divided
  • 1/3 cup mint leaves (torn if large), divided
  • 1/3 cup chopped roasted almonds (2 oz)

- Purée blanched almonds, garlic, water, and 1/4 tsp salt in a blender until smooth.

- Cook pasta in boiling salted water (3 Tbsp salt for 6 qt water) until almost tender. Drain pasta, reserving 3 cups of pasta water.

- While pasta is cooking, heat oil and 1 Tbsp butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat until foam subsides. Add almond purée and simmer, whisking occasionally, until thickened, about 3 minutes. Add 2 1/2 cups reserved cooking water, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper and simmer, whisking occasionally, until slightly thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Whisk in remaining 2 Tbsp butter until melted. Add pasta and peas and cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente (sauce will be thin), 2 to 3 minutes. Add cheese and lemon juice and stir until combined well.

- Remove from heat and stir in half of basil and mint and salt and pepper to taste. Serve pasta in bowls topped with chopped almonds, remaining herbs, and additional cheese.

pasta is garlic almond sauce

July 15, 2009 · Tagged with ,

food, vegetables

stuffed mushrooms with herbs and goat cheese (with bonus pasta!)

Posted by Stacy · 2 Comments 

My relationship with mushrooms is complicated. While I love them, I tend to buy them without specific dishes in mind, find them in the fridge a week or two later, hem and haw over whether or not they will kill me if I eat them, then end up throwing them away in a fit of paranoia. So when lunchtime rolled around today and I had most of a package of baby portobellas in the fridge, I decided to use them up. So I did.

stuffed portabella mushrooms

With just a few extra ingredients, I stuffed the mushroom caps and had enough leftover filling to make a second dish. The name sounds much more complicated than the preparation!

Stuffed Mushrooms with Fresh Herbs and Goat Cheese
Serves 1, unless you are nice enough to share.

8 ounces baby bella (or button) mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 scallion or spring onion, minced very finely
about 3 tablespoons minced fresh herbs (I used rosemary, mint, and parsley)
2 tablespoons bread crumbs (I used panko)
1-2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon butter, cold
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon crumbed goat cheese

Lightly oil a small baking sheet with olive oil. Carefully wash your mushrooms and remove the stems. Use a pastry brush to oil the mushroom caps and place them gill-side up on the oiled baking sheet.

Mince mushroom stems and place them in a small bowl. Add minced garlic, scallion, and herbs. Stir. Add bread crumbs and about a teaspoon of olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix well.

Spoon filling into mushroom caps, pressing gently so the stuffing stays in. Cut cold butter into small pieces and place a small piece on top of each stuffed mushroom cap.

Broil for about 3-4 minutes, then remove and place crumbled goat cheese on top of each one. Put back under the broiler for another 3-4 minutes, until cheese is lightly browned and mushrooms are fragrant. Serve immediately.

stuffed mushrooms with herbs and goat cheese

There was a lot of filling leftover that I didn’t want to waste, so I embarked on a culinary adventure that was a rousing success!

Mushroom and Bread Crumb Pasta

2 ounces dry vermicelli or angel hair pasta
leftover mushroom stuffing
2 teaspoons butter
2 teaspoons olive oil

Boil water for pasta. Add pasta and cook according to package until al dente. Drain when finished.

While pasta is cooking, heat butter and olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. When oil shimmers, carefully add mushroom stuffing to skillet. It may splatter a bit, so watch out for hot oil. Stir until evenly combined. When breadcrumbs are golden brown, remove from heat. Add drained pasta and stir until coated. You may want to add a bit more olive oil to prevent sticking. Sprinkle with crumbled goat or feta cheese, or grated Parmesan.

Easy, quick, and so delicious! It’s a nice variation from “pasta with red sauce,” too.

What’s your favorite way to prepare mushrooms?

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June 25, 2009 · Tagged with , ,

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