the Friday Feeding; VOL. 83

This time of year it is easy to eat local, and be local.  How great it is that we live in a place that so much bounty is right here in town. Our local store, our Farmers Market & our farm stands feed our bodies, and a quick jaunt to the library or the nature trails feed our souls.  Hang out on our front porch with others and your curiosity will be fed!

The convenience of your local store…

Pasta; the original fast food.

While pasta originated with long labors of hand-made love by grandmothers to abundantly feed their hungry families, now dried pasta is a pantry basic serving as a vehicle for…well, anything.

Pasta holds any sauce, any style of vegetable, any chopping of meat and each shape was originated to hold what ever ingredient you mixed with it.   Villages and regions throughout Italy have their own signature shapes developed to hold what ever food their region specialized in.  Was seafood abundant to them or were mountainous capers at their doorstep or was lamb or beef or tomatoes part of their culinary heritage?

Pasta dishes do not need to be just marinara-topped or mac-ed & cheesed. The possibilities are endless depending on what you have around.  We had pasta the other night because we wanted a fast meal & to use it as a vehicle for what ever we found at the Farmers Market. We also enjoyed some of the local foods we sell at the store; Brookford Farm’s feta cheese made here in Canterbury and Laconia, NH based Olive oil grown in their family farm in Greece. 

30 minute pasta dinner for two

Begin by bringing a large pot of water to boil. Pasta likes elbow room to cook so use the biggest pot you have.

• Add 1T olive oil to the water to keep pasta from sticking to itself

Add 1/4 of the box of Radiatori pasta to the boiling water. Stir to keep it from clumping. Stir again in a bit. Cook according to package timing; 8 minutes for firm pasta, 10 for more tender pasta. Drain when done and hold in the pot to stay warm.

Meanwhile…

David picked up some spinach and bok choy at the Farmers Market.

• I chopped some fine to yield 8 cups
• I also chopped fine some red and green peppers and some red onions to yield 1/2 cup

Heat up 1 T olive oil to a large pot or fry pan. To it add:

• the chopped peppers and onions
• the chopped greens on top
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced on top of the greens
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt sprinkled on top

Cook over medium heat for a minute or two as-is, then stir to sauté the vegetables and wilt the greens. This will take only about 5 minutes. Once cooked add:

• 1/4 cup more olive oil

Toss the cooked pasta and this sauté together. Serve up individual bowls full and top with:

• crumbled feta cheese
• pine nuts

Tender-soft nutty pasta accented with the sweetness of peppers, onion & garlic, the chew of greens, the tang of the feta and the crunch of the pine nuts..the sensory experience hit all the flavor spots for a completely satisfying meal.

Other pasta we carry…

If you enjoy food TV you might enjoy this Netflix series on pasta. My favorite is the film featuring an American, Evan Funke, who has mastered the art of pasta making. Also the episode on Peppe Guida features the pasta we carry. Watch how it is made. They both are passionate, educational and deeply moving. Enjoy!

Have a good week-end,

Jane and Dave