National Pasta Month - Fun and Simple!
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It’s National Pasta Month! One of my favorite things about this job, is photographing the food I’ve created, except for eating it, of course! (Above: shooting my Pumpkin Ravioli for this Blog Post, see the photo in the gallery below)
No wonder October is my favorite month of the year! All of my favorite dishes and flavors come together in one glorious fall month! I had been having such a hard time getting motivated lately and the further we move into COVID living and with no end in site at the moment, the more difficulty I had staying inspired. Then October arrived with my favorite fall flavors and features. It’s not just National Pasta Month, it’s Pumpkin Month, Merlot Month, and National Food Day and Dessert Day in October, so my mojo in the kitchen has been full on with new Fun & Simple recipe creation and updates to some of my old favorites.
Pasta is the best comfort cooking I know, simple to prepare, super versatile and so delicious! I’ve spent a lot of time in the kitchen this month, my happy place, and since we are basically still in quasi lock down, cooking and baking have been my COVID calm. I thought I would share some of my favorite Fun & Simple pasta dishes and wine pairing tips to help get you inspired. Nothing like comfort food to bring a smile to anyone’s tummy! Continue to stay safe and well and I hope you enjoy some of my favorite pasta comfort dishes while spending time at home.
So the thing about pasta is that it really is a blank canvas. Cook some pasta, your favorite shape or whatever you have in the pantry, make a sauce, add some extras, bring it all together, top it with your favorite cheese, nuts, herbs and you have a fun & simple gourmet masterpiece!
One of my very favorite and flavorful pasta dishes is a simple Puttanesca. Cook Pasta: Start with a pound of linguine, spaghetti or fettuccine cooked to package directions for al dente, keeping one cup of the pasta liquid set aside. Drain.
Make Sauce: In a large sauté pan, heat ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil over medium heat and add a medium fennel bulb, halved and sliced into ¼ inch thickness. Sauté until soft and translucent but not browned. Add one-half cup halved garlic cloves and swirl around until the garlic just begins to become aromatic. Be careful not to burn the garlic. Add 2 cups of diced San Marzano tomatoes (canned or fresh) and simmer for 5-7 minutes until reduced and beginning to thicken. Add Extras: Add ¼ cup dry white wine, ¼ cup capers, ¼ cup pitted kalamata olives, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, and 1 tablespoon tomato paste. Stir well to combine and continue to cook about 5 minutes more. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if needed.
Bring it All Together: Add the pasta and ¼ cup of the pasta liquid into the sauce and toss to coat (with tongs). If the sauce seems too thick, add another ¼ cup of the pasta liquid and continue to toss. Cook about 2 minutes longer and pour into serving bowl. Finish with Toppings: I like, freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese, chopped fresh basil leaves, fresh flat leaf parsley or both, freshly grated lemon zest, a sprinkling of kosher salt and a fresh grind of black pepper, then a nice drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and serve! If you like tuna in your Puttanesca, add 8 oz. of flaked oil-packed tuna during the last two minutes just to heat through tossing to combine into the dish.
That’s it! A super fun & simple and most delicious and comforting pasta dish. Here are some more of my fun & simple favs…including a creamy cheesy Pumpkin Zita and my favorite Pumpkin Ravioli!
Hope you enjoy these Fun & Simple #National Pasta Month dishes. And, not just because it is also Merlot Month, but a nice medium to full-bodied but soft Merlot pairs exceptionally well with any of the pasta dishes I’ve shared here. Like pasta, Merlot is also versatile, known as a chameleon among wines because of its adaptive properties, Merlot also blends very well with a variety of foods and flavors. #MerlotMe
Continue to stay home, stay safe and stay healthy! Remember Fun & Simple Gourmet is available at iTunes for your devices and is filled with more delicious pasta recipes and other fun & simple menu ideas.
