Pasta Creation

While I was at Auburn, I “invented” a pasta creation that has since become a family favorite and requested menu item a la Casa de Farmer. Easy to prepare and prepared in a flash, this pasta creation is a stove to oven to table dish sure to please the whole family.

Simple, basic, and fresh ingredients make this dish elegant. A dash of herbs add some garden goodness and a splash of green. Served with good bread and a salad, this dish can be expanded and contracted upon to serve two or twenty – and trust me, I have! It is basically a buerre blanc or white wine and butter sauce…what could be better my friends? Seasonal veggies make this meal seasonally apropos from a prima vera version in spring to a more savory version with mushrooms in the fall.

My sisters (and their friends) stipulate my Pasta Creation fairly often for supper and I’m always glad to oblige. You can make it with or without meat, add to or take away ingredients, or simply follow the instructions for yummo dish. The sweetness from the Vidalia’s and the browned garlic flow with the sweet Marsala wine and thus complemented by the salty parm. From this Farmer’s table to yours, enjoy!

The Farmer’s Pasta Creation

• 1 box of bowtie pasta
• 1 stick of butter or Smart Balance equivalent…it’s for the WHOLE dish, mind you
• 2 tablespoon of good olive oil
• 1 medium Vidalia onion
• 2 tablespoons of minced garlic
• 2 cups of Marsala wine
• Seasonal vegetables of your choice…asparagus, carrots, mushrooms, or any tender crop you like.
• ¾ cup of grated Parmesan cheese
• A heaping cup of freshly shredded mozzarella
• Seasonal herbs for garnish or as a bouquet garni…I use rosemary and parsley mainly…thyme and basil as the season permits.
• Meat of your choice…chicken, crab, fish, or shrimp all work quite well. About a pound of your choice.
  

Cook your pasta to a just before al dente state…it will cook a bit more in the sauce and oven. I throw in some herbs in the water to infuse the pasta.

Finely chop your onion and brown it in the butter and oil until translucent and starting to brown. Keep an eye on the onions so they don’t burn. Add the garlic once the onions begin to brown. Toss in your bouquet garni and then throw in your meat at this point if you’re using any. I typically use thin chicken breasts sliced and chopped into bite size pieces. Shrimp and crab work quite well as does a tuna steak or salmon fillet resting on a bed of this pasta.

Once your meat has cooked, add your tender veggies and stir them in the buttered brown onions and garlic to soften. I like them a bit crispy, but cook them to your liking.

Add the wine, scraping the bits of flavor off the bottom of the pan. Let the alcohol cook off and the liquid reduce by half. Add half of the parmesan cheese and stir it into the mixture.

Add the cooked pasta and mix the whole group together. Cover with shredded mozzarella and sprigs of rosemary and bake until the cheese is melted…serve hot and serve often!