6-14…Aglio Olio crudo…plus

Fresh baby Arugula in the fridge.  I had some with my eggs this morning and with fresh slices of tomato for lunch.  This evening I thought, what the hell, let’s go for the hat trick today.  The result is Aglio Olio crudo with arugula and mushrooms.

INGREDIENTS:

Spaghetti

Baby arugula, coarsely chopped

White mushrooms

Olive oil

Garlic, finely chopped

Fresh parsley, finely chopped

Grated Gran Padana cheese

Dry basil and oregano

PROCESS:

While waiting for the water to boil sauté the mushrooms in olive oil with the dry herbs then set aside

Place the cooked pasta in a serving dish, drizzle with olive oil, and mix in the remaining ingredients.  Add some pasta water as needed.  Serve with the grated cheese.

COMMENTS:

The only thing keeping this from a ten rating is that I was a little heavy handed with the garlic.  But otherwise this would be a 10 plus!

3-30…Aglio olio with red chili pepper fettucine

I was standing in front of the fridge at seven o’clock debating with myself, call for pizza or cook; what to do.  And the I heard them, the pasta angels, whispering in my ears, softly, over and over again…aglio olio…aglio olio…aglio olio.  I swear that somewhere, mixed in with those voices, I heard my mother, and of course that did it!  Tonight we were having aglio olio, but with a little twist.

INGREDIENTS:

Al Dente Pasta’s chili pepper fettucine

Fresh parsley, finely chopped

Garlic, finely chopped

Mozzarella cut into small cubes

Olive oil

Fresh lemon juice

PROCESS:

Place the cooked pasta and some of the pasta water in a serving bowl, add all the ingredients and mix well.  The lemon juice can be added after all the others.

COMMENTS:

Oh what a delightful meal!  I had to force myself not to go back for thirds.

Thank you mom and thank you pasta angels.

2-24..DON'T FORGET THE ARUGULA!

I forgot it last night, but not tonight.   Looking for a flavor with a bite I decided to try combining arugula and kalamata olives with my favorite dish, Aglio Olio crudo.  For the pasta I selected the Al Dente brand garlic and parsley fettuccine.

INGREDIENTS:

Fettuccine
Olive oil
Fresh parsley finely chopped
Garlic, finely chopped
Arugula, coarsely chopped
Pitted kalamata olives coarsely chopped

PROCESS:

While the pasta is cooking prepare the rest of the ingredients.  Place the pasta in a large serving bowl, drizzle with olive oil and mix in the remaining ingredients.  Add some pasta water as needed to keep things from getting to "dry".

COMMENTS:

WOW!!!   Ok, I'm calmed down.  This was really good...a new twist to an old favorite.  And I know I've said this before, but it bears repeating.  If you like pasta you have to try the Al Dente brand; you will not be disappointed.

Aglio Olio crude...a dish to die for

OK...before I say anything else, let me explain tonight's photo.  I am preparing what is probably my favorite pasta dish, the meal I would request if I had to choose the last meal of my life, and I am very, very hungry.  So, when dinner was ready I completely forgot about the camera and focused all of my attention on the pasta...perfectly understandable.

I have posted this recipe before and you can easily find it my searching for Agli Olio crude.  The only difference tonight, I added some grape tomatoes for color.

Enjoy!

11-15…PASTA AGLIO OLIO CRUDO PLUS…

The premise for tonight’s dinner is simple. In the center of the table is a large bowl of Pasta Aglio Olio crudo, surrounded by a selection of sauces, a.k.a.,toppings: sausage with sundried tomatoes, tomato, celery, mozzarella salad, and Shrimp and bay scallops in a butter-lemon sauce.



Guests are encouraged to begin with a small serving of the Aglio Olio as is, too experience the delightful flavor of this simple dish. Then they help themselves to more pasta so they can try the various toppings of their choice.

SAUSAGE

INGREDIENTS”

Olive oil
Garlic, chopped
Sausage with casing removed
Sundried tomatoes in oil coarsely chopped
Sweet vermouth
PROCESS:

Sauté the garlic in olive oil then add the sausage and sundried tomatoes. Several minutes later add the sweet vermouth. Cook until the sausage is done and drain off excess oil.

TOMATO SALAD

(Prepare in advance and allow to sit at room temp. for about an hour.)

INGREDIENTS:

Grape tomatoes, halved and/or quartered
Olive oil
Red wine vinegar
Celery
Onion and garlic, finely chopped
Basil, oregano
Mozzarella, diced

PROCESS:

Place the vegetables and cheese in a bowl; add the oil and vinegar, the herbs, and a splash of water.

SHRIMP AND BAY SCALLOPS

INGREDIENTS:

Shrimp, peeled and deveined
Bay Scallops
Olive oil
Garlic and shallots
Butter
Lemon zest
Bay seasoning
Fresh dill
Cucumber, peeled and diced

PROCESS:

Sauté the garlic and shallots in olive oil. Add the butter, shrimp, and scallops, along with the dill seasoning, and lemon zest. Cook for several minutes then add the white wine and simmer. Place everything in the serving bowl; mix in the cucumber and serve.

And…as an unexpected bonus…thanks to Christy at Gallery 600…Broccoli Rabe. Sauted in olive oil with garlic, this was the 4th “topping” of the evening.

COMMENTS:

Our friends from Nashville, Elliott and Tom drove up to pick up their puppy and share our dinner.



All I can say was…this was a huge success. It was a fun way to enjoy a meal. As always, the key ingredients are…good food, good wine, and good friends.

9-26…Aglio olio crudo with croutons

After yesterday’s homemade pasta I wanted something simple and swift, and Aglio olio crudo fits the bill. I’ve posted this before on several occasions, the last time being 9-10-11. The only new twist tonight was some toasted ciabatta bread croutons.

INGREDIENTS:

Angel hair pasta
Olive oil
Fresh basil, parsley, and oregano
Butter
Lemon juice


PROCESS:

Cut the bread into crouton sized pieces and toast in pan with butter and chopped basil and oregano. Place into small bowl and drizzle with lemon juice.

Place the cooked pasta in a serving bowl along with about 1/3 cup of the pasta water. Mix in olive oil, finely chopped parsley and basil, finely chopped garlic and the croutons.

COMMENTS:

This dish never lets me down…it is simple and tasty, and after you serve this you feel like you’ve done something special.

I thought of adding some kalamata olives to the dish but was afraid they would over power all the other flavors, so I placed some in a small bowl to be cautiously added to the dish. My concerns were well founded...they easily overpowered everything else.

AGLIO OLIO CRUDO W PESTO 9-10

It was a long day and my enthusiasm for everything and anything was non-existent. The answer to my doldrums was comfort food in the form of Aglio Olio Crudo, tonight served with a twist of something different…a trace of basil pesto, about ½ tablespoon, just enough to add another dimension to an otherwise heavenly dish.

I’ve posted this dish before, minus the pesto.

It never fails to satisfy me!
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AGLIO OLIO CRUDO pasta quest...7-5

I’ve posted about this dish previously but prepared it tonight for our house guest, Laurie from Minnsooooota.

INGREDIENTS:

Linguine
Olive oil
Garlic, finely chopped
Fresh parsley, basil, and thyme from the garden finely chopped

PROCESS:

Place the cooked pasta in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil and mix in the garlic and herbs. Add parmesan cheese per taste.

COMMENTS:

This dish is the easiest to prepare and offers the richest reward.

A WORD ABOUT GARLIC and OLIVE OIL

Pasta aglio olio, in our home pronounced “iyo oiyo” was always greeted with a sigh of anticipation when my mother would place the bowl of pasta on the table. On weekdays pasta, served in various ways every Tuesday and Thursday, was a one dish meal, usually with an accompanying salad. My father and I considered aglio olio, (along with every other pasta dish) our favorite. It would be many years later that I first learned how it was spelled so I could look for it on restaurant menus where it was rarely found, probably because it was such a simple peasant meal.

It is easy to prepare. Simply saute thinly sliced garlic in olive oil and serve over pasta with a sprinkling of chopped fresh parsley. Some of the pasta water may be added if needed. I prefer capellini (angel hair) or linguini, but almost any pasta will do.

Could it possibly be any simpler? Well...yes it can. Long after I left the nest, and my parents were living in small home on our farm, my mother began serving aglio olio crudo, where the garlic and olive oil are uncooked. The first time I tasted it I knew! If I had to choose my last meal on this sweet earth...it would be aglio olio crudo!

I love serving it to friends who have never experienced this simple pleasure. I am surprised how many of my italian friends and relatives have never had this dish. Yesterday I introduced it to my friends Raffaele and Sophia who joined me for lunch.

This very simple dish can be accessorized if one feels the need for something more by adding chopped black olives, or Italian sausage to the pasta. But anything added really takes away from the pure, simple taste of this dish.

Unfortunately I do not have a photo to share with you, but the next time I prepare aglio olio crude I will post one, and that shouldn’t be a very long wait.

AGLIO OLIO CRUDO

A Perfect Pair Clay mono type 14x8

No, I'm not calling anyone a nasty name in Italian. I'm hosting a small dinner party tonight, and two of the guests own and operate their own restaurants in Paducah, both well known for their great food! You gotta wonder...am I crazy to think that I can serve anything that will impress them? But I have two things working in my favor. First, I know that all of my guests are VERY fond of eating, and second, I will serve them Aglio olio crudo!

Aglio olio crudo is a remarkably simple but elegant pasta dish. The ingredients consist of pasta (linguine, spaghetti, or angel hair are my preferences), several cloves of finely chopped garlic, olive oil, finely chopped fresh parsley, and 1 or 2 pads of butter (optional).

Preparation is even simpler. Remove the cooked past to a large serving dish and drizzle with the olive oil, about 1/3 to 1/2 a cup. Add some of the pasta water to provide some liquid and mix in the raw (crudo) garlic and parsley, tossing it well, adding butter if desired). Drizzle once more with olive oil and serve immediately. The amount of the specific ingredients is a judgment call that becomes easy to make after preparing this dish one or more times.

There will be a second course of course: Sausage cooked with portobello mushrooms in white wine and onions, and broccoli rabe sauteed in olive oil with garlic. I'll post these "recipes" another time.

For a bit of color I'll add some sliced raw tomatoes (E Coli free) and of course the chianti.

My fingers are crossed. Wish me well.