Friday, June 6, 2008

BROWN BUTTER PASTA



it seems no matter WHAT you do to pasta, most people will appreciate this staple food.

our children and my husband think i've gone to the ends of the earth to create a simple pasta dish for them - and i feed them pasta sometimes three times per week.

this recipe just happens to be our children's favorite and can be simply made in about 20 minutes.

first you must choose your pasta...which reminds me of a story that i'll finish up with.

while preparing your pasta according to the directions on the package al dente, in a three quart skillet place the following:

1.5 cubes real butter

1 TBL. crushed garlic

1/2 C. chopped onions

1/2 TSP. kosher, sea or regular table salt

cover on high just until onions become glassy, remove cover and stir turning heat down to med/low while pasta is finishing. remember to rinse your pasta with COLD water - this keeps it from being sticky. set aside and tend to your butter mixture - turning heat up with lid off and constant stirring - when butter begins to brown around the sides of your pan, cover and turn off**.

place your drained pasta into a microwaveable covered dish and add butter mixture - at this point you may wish to add 1/2 cube more of butter or 1/4 cup of olive oil - heat in microwave for three minutes on high.

serve with a simple green salad and sourdough or texas toast. the best part of this recipe is how you can improve on it by adding whatever you'd like to it. i do a variation of this for pop with minced clams or peeled and deveined/cooked shrimp and half and half.

**at this point you may add cleaned and sliced mushrooms, a drained can of black olives, chopped fresh tomatoes, a can of drained italian style green beans, sliced fresh zucchini or whatever you'd like - if the children don't like it, they'll pick it out.

now for my story.

when our children were little - they LOVED the pasta aisle at the grocery store because they knew i'd go into my pasta/dance rant - while grabbing the pastas off the shelves, i'd animatedly say to them in my best sophia loren voice, "mostaciolli, penne, linguini, fettucine, ravioli, lasagna, fusilli, rigatoni, spaghetti, spaghettini! while they were laughing uncontrollably, i'd grab a bag of farfalle and get in their little faces and somberly say, "bowties."

every once in awhile they'll say, "mom, please do your pasta thing." when we're at the grocery. they still love seeing the other shoppers scatter!

20 comments:

Steve Harkonnen said...

I love pasta. I just don't like the carbs! The low carb stuff looks like boiled rubber bands, so that's out for me.

Oh, coincidentally, I was just told we're having spaghetti tonight!

Papa Frank said...

Pasta is such a perfect food for strength and stamina and so versatile in uses. How about a video of the pasta dance? :)

Z said...

steve, I'm convinced the low carb stuff IS boiled rubber bands. I don't eat much pasta, either.

but I sure do love it. (Try Amy's Frozen...mac and cheeze and lasagna. NO CHOLESTEROL and not too bad at ALL)

and, yes, I know it doesn't compete with the real stuff, but some of us can't or shouldn't eat the real stuff...me included, sadly!

nanc said...

truthfully - i've had to cut back on my carbs, but do enjoy at least one meal a week with pasta - at other times i just take a bite of it and load up on the vegies and salad and i'm trying to just eat bread one time per day. after 50 the pounds don't drop like they did when you were 49 years 364 days old...oh boo...

nanc said...

NO PASTA DANCE FOR YOU!

*8]

Papa Frank said...

What if I say pretty please?

nanc said...

well, maybe if you come visit and we have an opportunity to go to the grocery...but, only if'n i can get you into the seat in the grocery cart? howzat workin' for you?

Brooke said...

Ooooh, I love this recipe, especially with a little sharp cheese!

Z said...

I had FOUR PIECES of sausage/bell pepper/mushroom pizza last night.....if there's a PIZZA DANCE, that was me...like Snoopy with my ears straight in the air, groovin'..!!
You get the whip, I'll bend over.
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

The Merry Widow said...

I treated us to pizza last night too, veggie, everything including ANCHOVIES, and hawaiian...1 slice of each, yummmmmmm!

tmw

Z said...

I LOVE ANCHOVIES...but have to have it with my sister...Mr. Z isn't quite such a big fan.
But I can't do the Hawaiian if it includes pineapple..I guess it's what we're used to eating, right?

I used to make a spaghetti pasta not too unlike nanc's recipe here...and added anchovy paste...FABULOUS.

The Merry Widow said...

My late and I knew it was a match made in Heaven, when the first time we ordered pizza, he looked at me with hope in his eyes, and asked the BIG question, "Do you want anchovies with that?"
I could have married him on the spot!

tmw

Unknown said...

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i hope you enjoy every minute of your beautiful life.

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Papa Frank said...

You might get me into the cart but into the seat on the cart may be much too much work even for a shoe horn. LOL!

nanc said...

then no dance for you!

Papa Frank said...

Oh I've got a good torch and welder. I'm sure I could bring my own cart. Put on your dancin' shoes!!!

Anonymous said...

In honor of the prophet, I think I'll label this recipe...

Mo' Brown Butter Pasta, Please!

Anonymous said...

...of course the prophet I was referring to and honouring was the famous Italian chef, Giuliano Bugialli. ;-)

The Merry Widow said...

The Good Chef...he made people happy...and never blew anyone up...though they may have wanted to after eating a slight repast.

tmw

Steve Harkonnen said...

I blew the carbs tonight and made a killer and very basic beef curry, but I went the added measure and tossed in half of a chopped up granny smith apple and two small boxes of raisins and poured it over brown rice.

BAM, dude. and I mean BAM!!!!!