Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Terri Pasta


Do you ever have it happen that your family christens a meal with a name different that what you gave it?


So it is with "Terri pasta."
Terri was coworker about a decade ago and she gave us this fabulous, simple recipe. Perfect for hot summer days.


Garlic pasta with broccoli and ricotta salata
ricotta salata, into tiny chunks and grated
broccoli
fresh garlic, sliced
olive oil and butter


1. Get a nice hunk of ricotta salata (in the Lehigh Valley, we have Calandras, where they make their own fabulous Italian cheeses. Ricotta salata is their homemade ricotto, aged and salted. It does not melt in the skillet and keeps for a long time.
2. Sauté the chunks of cheese and garlic in enough olive oil and garlic to lightly but completely lubricate the pasta.
3. Add the broccoli once the cheese and garlic starts to brown.
4. Cook until the broccoli is the way you like it. I like mine crisp. And bite sized pieces.
5. Add to your favorite pasta. Tri-color rotini is best because it captures the cheese and sauce in the grooves.
6. Sprinkle with grated ricotta salata.

1 comment:

  1. the bow-tie noodles made me think of something my mom always made. Cabbage and noodles. One of her dishes, like pork and sauerkraut, that I call Pennsyvania Dutch soul food.

    Shred a head of cabbage. Put a half-bag of pasta on to cook. It take the longest (When Pat makes it the proportions are opposite. Then she picks out the cabbage!).

    Sauteed the cabbage lightly in oil for the most crunch and max vitiams....I'm sure Mom used something non-healthy to sautee it to nothing, it was the 60s (I use olive or canola). By this time the pasta should be done. Drain it, toss both items together in the cabbage pan, stir it around for a minute, and it's done. It's yummy and if you don't overcook the cabbage, healthy*. And it feeds an army.

    *Cabbage is an excellent source of manganese, calcium and potassium. It is a very good source of iron, phosphorous, magnesium. It is also a very good source of fiber, folate and omega-3 fatty acids. Further, sodium (bad), zinc and copper are found in good amounts in cabbage.
    It is a source of vitamin C,thiamin (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), niacin, vitamin B6 and also contains good amounts of vitamin k, folate, vitamin A and protein. It is a good source of dietary fiber and folate.

    Cabbage is low in calories, has anti-inflammatory properties and it's abundance in Vitamin C, is good for protection from free radicals.

    g

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