Why is it that sometimes, the only way to get in a habit is to wait until every thing's changing at once and to “sneak” it in? Today I started a new phase of my schooling. I also started working out. And blogging. Today was like my own personal New Year’s, full of resolutions. Let’s just hope I keep up with these.
Anyways, today I made a pasta dish, with browned butter and toasted nuts and fresh basil and figs.
Figs... yum.
Is “yum” a normal reaction when someone mentions figs? For some reason, figs seem elegant or exotic to me. Like passion fruit. Sadly, I think they just remind a lot of people of Fig Newtons (which, oddly enough, don’t taste like figs to me at all). Anyways, they might not be often associated with savory dishes due to their sweet, delicate flavor, but figs certainly worked well in this summery pasta dish. Try it... you’ll see.
Recipe for Summer Pasta with Figs - inspired by Pasta Sfoglia
1/2 lb spaghetti
1/2 cup hazelnuts
1/2 cup walnuts
8 Tbsp butter
6 ripe figs
handful of fresh basil leaves
Salt and Pepper
Parmesan cheese, to top (optional)
Begin by toasting the nuts. This can be done in an oven heated to 350 for 10-15 minutes. Or, if you’re me, toast the nuts on the stove in a heavy saute pan over medium-low heat. (After all, it’s summer... who really wants to turn their oven on just to toast nuts?) Once the nuts are golden brown and smell fragrant, remove them from the pan and let them cool. Chop finely.
Bring a pan of salted water to boil, then cook pasta according to package directions. Try to time this so that the pasta finishes at the same time as the sauce, but if the pasta is done first, drain to stop the cooking but reserve a cup or so of the pasta water.
Melt the butter in the same pan you used to toast the nuts. When it has begun to brown, add the nuts, basil, salt and pepper. Stir. Add the figs, trying to create a single layer. Let cook over medium heat for 5 - 8 minutes without stirring, until the figs are tender.
When the sauce has cooked, add the pasta to the sauce. Add in some pasta water, a little at a time, to thin the sauce. Serve with Parmesan cheese and enjoy!
Note - I made this using what I had on hand, which happened to be a handful of hazelnuts and walnuts each, but I think the recipe would work just as well with one or the other.
1/2 cup hazelnuts
1/2 cup walnuts
8 Tbsp butter
6 ripe figs
handful of fresh basil leaves
Salt and Pepper
Parmesan cheese, to top (optional)
Begin by toasting the nuts. This can be done in an oven heated to 350 for 10-15 minutes. Or, if you’re me, toast the nuts on the stove in a heavy saute pan over medium-low heat. (After all, it’s summer... who really wants to turn their oven on just to toast nuts?) Once the nuts are golden brown and smell fragrant, remove them from the pan and let them cool. Chop finely.
Bring a pan of salted water to boil, then cook pasta according to package directions. Try to time this so that the pasta finishes at the same time as the sauce, but if the pasta is done first, drain to stop the cooking but reserve a cup or so of the pasta water.
Melt the butter in the same pan you used to toast the nuts. When it has begun to brown, add the nuts, basil, salt and pepper. Stir. Add the figs, trying to create a single layer. Let cook over medium heat for 5 - 8 minutes without stirring, until the figs are tender.
When the sauce has cooked, add the pasta to the sauce. Add in some pasta water, a little at a time, to thin the sauce. Serve with Parmesan cheese and enjoy!
Note - I made this using what I had on hand, which happened to be a handful of hazelnuts and walnuts each, but I think the recipe would work just as well with one or the other.
Wow, Jess. You are a fantastic writer. I salivate just reading....nice!
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