Well readers, yesterday was a very special day a casa mia.... it was J's 30th birthday! And even though he is way too cool to make a big deal out of it, I couldn't let the day pass without a little something special.
Or so I had planned.... Unfortunately, as a result of an epic and exciting grocery shopping trip with my friend Joy (Joy Eilene, Word Machine) on Saturday, my fridge is full of gourmet cheese, chocolate.... and no vegetables.
What!? How is a girl supposed to prepare a birthday dinner with no vegetables? It was a problematic circumstance indeed, but a little resourcefulness paid off in the form of the following pasta entree. The combination of Mediterranean flavors and varied textures makes this dish just special enough for a celebration.
PS. J's birthday party is on Friday and our official Valentine's day celebration is on Saturday, so I'm saving the dessert and the super-fancy food for the weekend. Did someone say Red Velvet Layer Cake?
Ingredients
8 ounces pasta (spaghetti or fettuccine)
4 quarts salted water, boiling
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 large clove garlic, diced
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/3 cup white wine (choose a sweet over a dry here)
2 yellow or orange bell peppers, chopped
1/4 cup roasted cashews (recipe follows)
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
Directions
1. Bring 4 quarts of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, and cook al dente, 8-10 minutes. Drain the pasta, but reserve a 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid.
1. In the meantime, heat the olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add the garlic and allow to cook until it begins to brown.
2. Add the tomato paste (be careful, it will sizzle upon contact) and allow to cook with the garlic for 2-3 minutes. This step is one of the secrets to this recipe - the oil will turn bright red and the tomato paste will begin to caramelize in the most delicious manner.
3. De glaze the pan with the white wine. Turn the heat down to low, and allow to simmer for another 2-3 minutes.
4. Add the chopped bell peppers and cover the pan. Cook until the peppers are just soft, but not mushy, another 8-10 minutes.
5. Turn off the heat and add the cooked pasta to the sauce pan. Toss to coat.
6. Plate the pasta onto four serving dishes, and top with roasted cashews and feta cheese.
Or so I had planned.... Unfortunately, as a result of an epic and exciting grocery shopping trip with my friend Joy (Joy Eilene, Word Machine) on Saturday, my fridge is full of gourmet cheese, chocolate.... and no vegetables.
What!? How is a girl supposed to prepare a birthday dinner with no vegetables? It was a problematic circumstance indeed, but a little resourcefulness paid off in the form of the following pasta entree. The combination of Mediterranean flavors and varied textures makes this dish just special enough for a celebration.
PS. J's birthday party is on Friday and our official Valentine's day celebration is on Saturday, so I'm saving the dessert and the super-fancy food for the weekend. Did someone say Red Velvet Layer Cake?
Pasta in Bell Pepper Wine Sauce with Feta and Roasted Cashews
This dish has a high veggie to pasta ratio, which makes it both satisfying and healthy. Serve it alongside a crisp salad, and savory soup.
Yield: 4 Servings
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| The lovely color comes from the delicious Orange Bell Peppers! |
Ingredients
8 ounces pasta (spaghetti or fettuccine)
4 quarts salted water, boiling
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 large clove garlic, diced
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/3 cup white wine (choose a sweet over a dry here)
2 yellow or orange bell peppers, chopped
1/4 cup roasted cashews (recipe follows)
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
Directions
1. Bring 4 quarts of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, and cook al dente, 8-10 minutes. Drain the pasta, but reserve a 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid.
1. In the meantime, heat the olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add the garlic and allow to cook until it begins to brown.
2. Add the tomato paste (be careful, it will sizzle upon contact) and allow to cook with the garlic for 2-3 minutes. This step is one of the secrets to this recipe - the oil will turn bright red and the tomato paste will begin to caramelize in the most delicious manner.
3. De glaze the pan with the white wine. Turn the heat down to low, and allow to simmer for another 2-3 minutes.
4. Add the chopped bell peppers and cover the pan. Cook until the peppers are just soft, but not mushy, another 8-10 minutes.
5. Turn off the heat and add the cooked pasta to the sauce pan. Toss to coat.
6. Plate the pasta onto four serving dishes, and top with roasted cashews and feta cheese.
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