This is an item I have cooked two or three times, including this evening, and I will tell you, it is both simple and satisfying.
For three or four servings:
1 lbs spaghetti, thin, common or thick. Cook it.
In a large saute pan, heat several tbs of olive oil, the good stuff. How much? The oil is the only liquid in the sauce, except a bit of the pasta cooking water. So, enough to wet all the noodles, but not to the point it is swimming. Avoid the swimming thing.
Tonight I cooked a thinly sliced onion in the oil for about half an hour. Then one bungs in four to six finely diced garlic cloves. Never cook garlic to brown, it just gets bitter. Cook gently. Also red pepper flakes to taste. I like a fair bit, the women of the house, rather less. I can always add a bit to my own plate.
Cook all that about five minutes and add the pasta. One wants a fair bit of the cooking water to tansfer, and one does not want to discard the water until it is clear that y0u have the pasta well coated in oil, as a bit more water to moisten the sauce is a good thing.
Toss in something like a quarter cup or more of good bread crumbs. I use Progresso seasoned.
Serve with good quality grated cheese. My local Italian deli has a house blend that is excellent, at only seven dollars per pound. It is none of it special on its own, but the three or four domestic cheeses in there work in tandem to create a depth of flavor that you would only find in imported Parmesans at twice the price.
This makes a nice break from tomato or cream based sauces, and really is delicious. Also, cheap and easy, like me. Trust me when I talk food.
We gotta see about a new category for food.
I wonder if this would work with four cheese ravioli. Penelope bought about a pound of it last week. We like to play around with olive oil brands (like microbrews). Right now, we have a bottle of Filippo Berio in the house. I think it’s a bit of a cheapo brand.
I would not know about the olive oil, but I am sure this would dress you ravioli very well.
Classically, some chopped walnuts or pine nuts would go in there as well.
She got it from some local deli. I hate to admit it, but my favourite olive oil has been an olive oil from *Australia*.
I don’t see why the Aussies could not produce perfectly satisfactory olive oil.
It’s great. It’s called ‘Australian Redisland Extra Virgin.” I found it at a local bakery. It was surprising to me how good it was.
I am perfectly un-amazed.
Has anyone seen 94 year old Clara Cannucciari’s YouTube videos on Depression Era cooking? There are a number of them, produced by her grandson, and they present this really charming, alert Italian grandmother who can still cook up a storm. The anecdotes of Depression Era life really add to the fun of the cooking lesson:
A sample;
Oooo KevenSeven, this is to die for. I am severely wheat intolerant, but I have rice pasta that is actually GOOD and can make a breadcrumbless version. My mouth is watering. And I have seen this marvelous Depression-era cooking video. I also own my mothers’ ration cookbook from WW II with very reasonable and useful recipes that save money and stretch things a very long way. Even after the war, that’s how my mother cooked – lean, tasty, nutritious, satisfying and CHEAP. But nothing as yummy as KevenSeven’s recipe! Yum!
Bust up some low salt potato chips instead.
Mmmm. You’ve made me hungry.
Another simpler variant….
Bread crumbs, olive oil, garlic, an inch or two of tube tomato paste, and an inch or two of tube anchovy paste (all to taste).
Add hot pepper flakes? …. but of course.
Thanks Keven7,
I need a break from CSpan Debate
I will not be able to go to bed until they done with the vote
All my kids love this one…..
we make this recipe when we want a break from tomato and cream sauce.
Large Pan with lid
Olive Oil
One large finely chopped onion yellow or white
One pound of washed, dried & chopped spinach, baby spinach works well
Bunch of fresh parsley washed, dried and chopped well
One or more (as desired) smashed cloves of garlic
Cup of Cottage Cheese
Cup of Feta Cheese crumpled (drain the liquid)
Grated Parmesan Cheese about a cup of you choice as much as desired
Juice of 1/2 lemon (no seeds)
a pinch or two of Lemon Zest
Ground pepper
One pound of cooked pasta more or less as needed (Shells & Bowties are nice)
Cook pasta as directed
In a large pan cook heat up olive oil (if it smokes it is too hot, start over with lower heat)
then add onion.
Just when the onion becomes transparent, add the garlic.
Let the garlic have a few moments watch the heat do not let it brown
Add 1/3 spinach mix cover let the spinach wilt about one or two minutes
then again add 1/3 spinach
cover and let it wilt
and then add the last of the spinach and the parsley
Sprinkle lemon juice then cover lower heat and let it wilt a few minutes more.
In a large pot or bowl combine
Cooked Spinach, Parsley, Garlic & Onion
Cooked Pasta drained (still hot)
Cottage Cheese
Feta Cheese
Parmesan Cheese
mix well
add lemon zest on top with fresh ground pepper
Yum, I bet that would also taste really good with a few grates of nutmeg!
Hmmm never thought of that – I’ll have to try it.
Cottage cheese???????????
Eeeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwww
Keven7, you are so funny, I am sure that if I made this for you, you would love it.
When I bring this to Pot Luck it is one of the first things to go!
But if you really can’t get over the cottage cheese, leave it out.
You have the public option to do as you choose.
Oh, I am sure I would scarf it down.
PatsyT – I MAKE THIS TOO! Cottage cheese is perfect, KS – it’s a lighter and less caloric version of ricotta. This is a delicious recipe, and I’m over the moon to be reminded how good that can be! Trust us, KevenSeven – it’s delicious.
I’ve even made lasagna with cottage cheese. It works very well.
Patsy, this sounds delicious!