Arugula Pasta with Golden Garlic
This pasta is the companion dish to Creamy Chickpea Soup. Both are simple and unpretentious dishes, elegant in the way that Italian dishes just can’t help but be.
A key ingredient of both recipes is garlic. In the Creamy Chickpea Soup the garlic gets mellowed and sweetened by long slow stewing. In this pasta dish the fried-crisp texture and zippy flavor of this golden garlic make more akin to a spice than an herb.
I’m addicted to the emerald color, jazzy shape and peppery taste of arugula. I’d say it’s the poor man’s watercress, but it’s so good it’s poor man’s nothin’. And you’re hooked on arugula like I’m hooked on arugula, it would behoove you quite a peppery bit to check out these recipes:
A beautiful Arugula Salad with Beets and Goat Cheese from Elise’s never-ended supply of perfect recipes.
Catherine and I are on the same page pairing pasta with arugula and cheese – check out her Strozzapreti with Arugula and Arina Goat Gouda.
Urban Vegan makes a full-flavored Rasta Pasta without the cheese. Fantastic!
And if VeganYumYum ever invited me over I’d eat a good baker’s dozen of these Spaghetti Squash, Shitake, Arugula and Pistachio Spring Rolls
Serves: 6
Time: 20 minutes
Arugula Pasta with Golden Garlic
4 small bunches of arugula, well-washed, de-stemmed, and chopped roughly
1 lb tubetti pasta (can use ditalini or macaroni in a pinch)
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp olive oil
6 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tsp red pepper flakes
½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
salt, pepper
Prepare your arugula by washing it well, disregarding any stems and wilted leaves. Chop it roughly.
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for the pasta.
Meanwhile, in a small skillet or saucepan, heat up the butter and olive oil. Toss in the minced garlic and cook slowly, stirring continuously, for 5-10 minutes or until the garlic starts turning brown. Add the red pepper flakes and take the garlic off the heat when it’s almost golden (not later!) as it will continue to cook on it’s own for another minute or two.
When the pasta water starts to boil add the pasta and cook for 8 minutes. When the pasta has 1 minute left add the arugula to the boiling water and finsh cooking the rest of the 60 seconds.
Drain the pasta and arugula well and put in a large bowl. Pour over the garlic and oil, parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.
Serve with more red pepper flakes and parmesan cheese.
April 25th, 2007 18:24
[…] 1 bag dried chickpeas 1 large yellow onion, chopped 3-4 cloves of garlic, minced a few pinches of dried rosemary (1) potato, peeled and cubed 2 veggie bullion cubes (or stock) a few pinches of dried rosemary salt, pepper sploosh of olive oil To top: olive oil, parmesan cheese To serve: Arugula Pasta with Golden Garlic […]
April 26th, 2007 11:21
I love arugula too, but am much more fond of its other name, rocket. How cool is that? Rocket salad! The perfect space-age dish!
April 26th, 2007 19:41
I know I should be focusing on the delicious food, but I couldn’t help but notice… is that a bust of Caracalla on the right? His face is etched in my brain because I remember teaching about him in a class and having a certain menacing student who looked just like him… creepy.
I have a group on flickr called “Fun With Modern Art.” So far I’m the only member, but I’d like to expand it. Perhaps you’d like to join and add your art photos?
The group URL: http://www.flickr.com/groups/95818100@N00/”
April 28th, 2007 12:35
Why yes, Bazu. This pic is the Met’s Portrait of Caracalla. Good eye - he is pretty menacing.
These works of art are far from modern but the setting they are in is 21st Century NYC, so maybe that counts… I’ll add my favs to your flickr group.
April 28th, 2007 17:07
I am soo addicted to arugula. I eat a salad almost every single night of it.
Your pasta looks so good!
April 29th, 2007 14:17
Thank you for joining the group! I didn’t intend the ‘modern’ part of the name from stopping anyone adding any kind of art photos- I just thought it sounded better. Hmmm, maybe “modern fun with art”… nah!