Recipe of the Week: Capelli D’Angelo alla Contadina (Farmer’s Pasta)
Everybody wants to be Irish on Saint Patrick’s Day, even Italians. We all have heard of corn beef and cabbage, green milk shakes and green beer, so why not green pasta? All kidding aside, vegetarian cooking is the latest trend in the culinary world. The trend recommends eating sensibly with a diet rich in fresh vegetables and fruits as the focal point of the meal, not just as the side dish. For many people, buying organic food has become mainstream and it has become a $2.8 million business. Whether you eat meat regularly or just want to cut back and eat more vegetables, try this great recipe. All my life, I have never been excited by just a salad for dinner. I always found that I would get hungry soon after I had eaten it. In contrast, with pasta you can enjoy a small portion and feel satisfied for hours. Ah! The power of carbs! Using the freshest spring vegetables and fresh herbs you can prepare great pasta dishes with a variety of vegetable sauces. Over 16 million Americans call themselves vegetarians, but the word has many meanings. Strict “vegans” eat nothing that comes from animals, including eggs, milk and honey. Some consider themselves vegetarian simply because they do not eat red meat. Today, there are many reasons for people to limit their meat consumption — taste, preference, philosophy, sanitation and health. As a chef, I always had a difficult time refusing any kind of food presented to me. As I have gotten a little older and wiser, I have learned to just taste. I prefer balance and moderation to limitation. In Italy, because our meat is so expensive, seasonal fruits and vegetables are served in abundance paired with pastas and rice. I feel that even though pasta is the heart of Italian cooking, it is fresh vegetables that give it soul and flavor. I love to quickly saute vegetables in extra virgin olive oil or roast them in the oven for extra flavor, then serve them tossed with pasta. Using a variety of fresh vegetables paired with fresh herbs has been my passion and inspiration for this recipe. Whether you place your vegetables on the center of your plate or to the side, you will enjoy this one. Serves eight. (Chef tip: Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then add salt to achieve a rapid boil and then add the pasta and cook until “al dente.”)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large portobello mushroom, cleaned and sliced
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 sweet red peppers, sliced thin
2 potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces angel hair pasta
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (optional)
Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a 12-inch skillet and add mushrooms, onion, peppers, potatoes and garlic. Cook over medium heat for five minutes. Set aside.
Sprinkle on nutmeg and mustard. Add wine, chopped tomatoes and vegetable stock. Cook at high heat for 10 minutes to reduce sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Bring a 12-quart pot of water to a boil. Add salt, then pasta and cook until “al dente,” according to the package directions. Drain pasta and toss pasta with sauce. Sprinkle with rosemary and cheese, and serve.