Thanks to Wim, for Brambo
Now I must admit that I never managed to get the timing for this one right, so I’m always half done with either the sauce or the pasta, but…
Wim’s recipe for pasta with veggie salad and home made tomato sauce :-)
Things needed for this recipe that you should always have available in the kitchen:
- Lemon juice
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt (I prefer rock salt)
- Pepper grinder with pepper in it
- Any herbs you think will suit a tomato sauce
- Large salad bowl
- Large frying pan
- Cooking pot big enough for your pasta *and* a steaming device
- A strainer or other steaming device
OK, now go to a supermarket and get the following:
- About half a brocoli per person
- About a large hand full of green beans per person
- About 10 – 15 cherry tomatoes per person (really, this number doesn’t really matter)
- Pasta of your choice
- Mascarpone (the more the merrier :-) I would use about half a container for two people, but I have used more or less if that suited me.
- Everything from the list above that you don’t have
Put some water on and wait for it to boil, read packaging of your flavor of pasta to know how much etc.
While you wait, cut the tomatoes in halves, clean the green beans and cut up the broccoli. Chuck the green veggies in the strainer and give them a nice wash.
By now the water should be boiling… Chuck in the pasta and start steaming the veggies by hanging them over the boiling water in the strainer. Make sure not to much water gets in the strainer, and not to much steam escapes. If at any time the pasta is done, dump the veggies from the strainer on a kitchen towell to get rid of the moisture and the temperature (we want to serve those cold) and voila, you have a strainer to drain the pasta in.
While the pasta cooks, start heating some oil in a *big* frying pan. (Really, a *BIG* frying pan, you’re going to put *everything* including the pasta, but except the veggies in it)
Now put the tomatoes in with the cut side down and let the whole shimmer for 5 minutes or so. Add some (rock)salt and freshly ground pepper. Take any cooking device you have handy (watch out with the “Tefal” type pans and steal kitchen utencils thought) and start pushing the cherry tomatoes, so the skin lets go. If they fall apart under the presure, they’re done.
Now add the mascarpone to the tomatoes and mix it all together untill it’s all one colour. Add any herbs and spices you can think of and put in the pasta. Let the whole shimmer for a little while, stir it occasionally.
For the veggies, make a dressing from one part olive oil and one part lemon juice, mix with some salt, pepper and herbs of your choice (although I must say that I don’t miss any herbs if I forget them)
Actually, by now, you’re almost done. Mix the veggies and the dressing together in a large (enough) bowl and serve the pasta out on plates.
Any remarks, let me know, I’ll add any useful remarks here
One comment
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Ok.. I understand why your timing goes wrong ;o)
The way I do it:
Put olive oil in the frying pan, add the halfed (small) tomatoes and add pepper and salt. Let this fry on a medium heat so it doesn’t burn.. occasionally shake the pan and move the tomatoes around.
After having set this up, fill 2 pans with boiling water (from the cooker, soooo easy). Add coarse salt (use more than you think is right if your not used to cooking italian food ;o) ). Put the veggies in for about 3 mins or so. At the same time put the pasta in. As you don’t have a realy sauce, you can use long pasta here like spaghetti or tortellini.
When the 3 mins for the veggies are over, put them on a cloth to let them loose most of the moisture.
Now it’s about time to squash the tomatoes as they are almost mushed anyway. Squash them with a fork and shake the pan a bit to divide.
If most of the moisture is gone from the tomatoes (please take care not to burn it, keep the fire medium to low), add the pasta and mascarpone (about a full desert spoon per person). Put the fire to high and start mixing (with a plastic thingie or so, because of the anti-burn layer in your pan ;o) ). After mixing for about 2 mins or so devide the pasta over the plates.
Now put the veggies in a bowl, add peper, salt, 1 part lemon juice, 3 parts olive oil and mix a bit.
I don’t use any extra spices as the italian kitchen is about simple flavours, my italian friends would kill me if I would.. :P
Anyway.. this is how I do it. It’s quite close to what I’ve learned from la mama of my ex girlfriend from Lucca, Toscana.
–
Wim