A lot of my posts on here are about recipes that are relatively elaborate, great for languid afternoons in the kitchen, with music and a glass or two of wine, or an evening of cooking with friends or one’s partner. Tonight, though, was not one such evening. I was hungry and tired and I wanted something good to eat, and quickly.
And this is what I cooked up!
It’s easy, fast, and pretty darned delicious. And most of you will have these ingredients lying around in your kitchens! I used pre-made ravioli from a little store in my neighbourhood, but you could use penne, farfalle, or any other type of pasta you like.
Ingredients
Pasta
Water
Salt
A few sprigs of rosemary (you can also use sage or thyme) (dried or fresh)
8 tablespoons of butter (this is the main ingredient in this recipe, so the better the quality of butter you use the nicer it will taste)
A clove of garlic, cut into quarters
Parmigiano Reggiano, Pecorino, or Grana Padano (freshly grated, if possible)
Method:
1. Heat water in a pot with some salt. Dump in the pasta once the water is boiling. Cook it according to the package instructions.
2. When the pasta is 5 minutes from being done, melt the butter in a pan (a light-coloured one if possible, so that you can tell when the butter is browned). Once it’s melted, add the garlic to it and keep stirring it with a spatula so as to ensure it browns evenly.
3. In the meantime, once the pasta is done, drain it and set it aside.
4. Brown the butter lightly or to a deeper hue, depending on how much of a nutty flavour you want, but watch it carefully, as it can burn quickly. I browned it for about 6 minutes. Once it is exactly how you want it, take it off the stove, toss in the herb of your choice and then the pasta.
5. Top it off with the grated cheese of your choice and enjoy!
The Life and Times of Choconutmeg 