[CH] Best Pasta This Year
Deb deForest (deforest@selec.net)
Mon, 10 Jan 2000 13:22:15 -0600
My good friend Howard Harris (also known to some of you from list days of
yore) sent me a great recipe that I tried on Friday. Dan called it some of
the best pasta ever. It was certainly the best we've had this year <grin>.
Here's the recipe:
Pasta with Oysters and Bacon
4 oz. bacon, chopped
1/2 cup chopped red onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 Tbsp. butter or margarine (I used 2 Tbsp.)
1 lb. shucked oysters, rinsed and drained, halved if large
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes, crushed
(Yeah, right. A bunch of Calvin's mythical powder would be wonderful, but
what I did was add chopped fresh Scotch Bonnets since I was so happy to have
found my favorite chiles in the produce section at Kroger's, of all places,
earlier that morning).
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup dry white wine
8 oz. angel hair pasta, cooked and drained
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a medium skillet over medium heat cook
the bacon, onion and garlic (till bacon is just brown and crisp). (I cooked
the Scotch Bonnets along with this mixture, adding the chopped pieces toward
the end of the cooking time just to soften them and infuse the mix with
their heavenly flavor). Pour off excess grease and transfer mixture to a 2
1/2 quart casserole dish lightly coated with cooking spray or oil. In the
same skillet, over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add oysters and saute
until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with seasonings (this is
when you'd ordinarily add the Calvin's or other powder or flakes). Stir in
wine and bring to a boil. Add oysters and wine to casserole, add pasta and
gently mix. Bake until heated through, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with
parsley.
Yield: 6 servings (more like 4 --- or 2 if one of you is Dan and you haven't
eaten all day)
The baking makes the pasta soak up all the wonderful juices and reduces the
liquid to make a very rich flavor. Wonderful stuff and a great and easy
technique to file for future creations.
Deb in Houston
P.S. Hurry and get well, Tom Bryant! This recipe is sure to please as soon
as you feel up to cooking again.