Pasta Della California

This recipe comes from one of my favorite cook books. I'm told I'm weird because I like to read the introductions to cook books but this is one of the most informative cookbooks I have ever seen. Not only does it tell you about kitchen supplies, terminology, and things to stock your pantry with, but also how to properly cook vegetables, beans and grains. I call this book the Vegan Bible and you don't have to be vegan to find really delicious recipes. I decided to make this pasta because I had 2 avocados that were ripe and needed to be used up. Now I wasn't sure what warm avocado tasted like but you really couldn't even tell it was warm and tasted really good. 

    

    Ingredients: 

• 1/2 pound Linguine ( I used spaghetti because thats what I had at home. I don't like buying more when I already have something similar at home)
• 3 cups sliced broccoli (tops cut into small florets stalks thinly sliced)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp grated lime zest
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup white wine (I went for something dry and used Trader Joes Green Fin wine....it really cheap)
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 2 tbs lime juice, around 1 lime
• 1/2 tsp salt
• several pinches of finely ground black pepper
• 4 cups loosely packed arugula leaves
• 2 avocados sliced into 1 inch chunks
• klamata olives (my idea)

Before you start cooking, do what I didn't do...... mise en place! Now you might be wondering what that means and it took me a while sounding it out to get even close so google could correct me but I found a definition. 

Mise en place (pronounced [miz ɑ̃ plas], literally "putting in place") is a French phrase defined by the Culinary Institute of America as "everything in place", as in set up. It is used in professional kitchens to refer to organizing and arranging the ingredients (e.g., cuts of meat, relishes, sauces, par-cooked items, spices, freshly chopped vegetables, and other components) that a cook will require for the menu items that he or she expects to prepare during his/her shift.

This is something that I have been trying to work on but I have learned that in this recipe it is very important! Plus make sure you know exactly what your doing otherwise you can get behind that way too. The recipe isn't hard or a lot of work as long as you miss en place! Ok lets get started!

Bring a large pot of water to boil and prep all of your ingredients while the water boils. ( I had a hard time getting everything ready so if you are slow I would recommend prepping everything before you put the water on). Once the water is boiling, add the pasta and cook according to the package, about 10 min. (My pasta cooked way faster. Just make sure not to over cook you pasta). In the last min of cooking the pasta you are going to be adding the broccoli.

 Meanwhile, preheat a large nonstick skillet over a medium heat. Add the olive oil, garlic, lime zest, and red pepper flakes, and gently heat stirring often for about 2 min. Be careful not to burn the garlic!

 Then pour in the wine (I really don't like wine in cooking but I tried it anyways and I really couldn't taste it when the pasta was done). Raise the heat to bring to a boil, to reduce the wine, around 2 min. Once reduced add the vegetable broth, lime juice, salt and pepper and bring to a boil again. Once the sauce is boiling, lower the heat to a simmer and add the arugula.

 The recipe now says that the pasta should be about done and its time to add the broccoli but if it is done long before your sauce is done drain the pasta and an a little olive oil to it so the pasta doesn't stick together.

 When the arugula is wilted, add the broccoli and pasta to the pan and use a pasta spoon (idk what that is I just used a spatula) making sure all of the pasta gets coated. Cook for about 3 more min.This is when I added the olives too.

Add the avocado and turn off the heat. Gently toss the pasta for another min to incorporate the avocado without smushing it. ( I mix long because I wanted the avocado to coat to pasta and make a slightly creamy sauce).

This is the final product!