Tuesday 18 November 2014

Green Pasta?



Sunday Times readers may possibly have seen this a couple of weeks ago.

When you encounter a recipe with a title such as 'World's Most Elegant Winter Pasta', you simply HAVE to give it a go. I have reasonable faith in Mr Oliver's work, so I threw caution to the winds.

If you enlarge (US embiggen) the pic, you might be able to read Jamie's ingredients. However, for my own version (I always muck about with recipes) I omitted the Leek, used just Cavolo Nero, Garlic, Olive Oil, S & P, and Parmesan. I chose Spaghetti rather than either Penne or Linguine.

This is what my version looked like...


Verdict: We were in two minds about it; we thought it 'pleasant', but maybe just a tiny bit uninteresting.

Would I eat it again? Possibly/Probably, but I would have to inject a little more flavour; not too much, but it needs a 'certain something' to bring it up to standard. I give Jamie 7/10.

It's a good veggie pasta standby; try it and see what YOU think.




26 comments:

  1. I've just realised that one can't see the process in the recipe. It's probably available on line, but this is the basics.

    Boil the garlic cloves for 3 mins, add the cavolo nero leaves and boil for another three mins (no more), whizz in machine with olive oil parmesan and seasoning until smooth paste, toss into cooked pasta. Simple.

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  2. I shall try this (after I found out what is a cavalo negro. I know it is a black horse in spanish but we have here only brown horses).

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    1. It's an Italian black cabbage with long thin leaves.

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  3. It is cavalo nero I see. now I know we also dont have cavalo nero here but I shall keep looking.

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  4. I would add a good scrape of nutmeg and a twist of black pepper to get some interest in to the dish, seems a bit bland too me .

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    1. Hi Skippy, I was thinking in terms of an anchovy filet or two!

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    2. You took the words right out of my mouth (or off my page)! Anchovies will give it a depth of flavour, I reckon. And maybe onions?

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  5. I LOVE pasta Cro and Jamie rarely lets me down. I made crab linguine last night. Spring onions, brown crabmeat, creme fraiche,lemon juice, a little chilli, splash of white wine and the white crabmeat as a final flourish …… the fastest fast food ever !! Sounds a bit posh and expensive but, you don't need very much crab and need only use the brown meat as that has most of the flavour.I think that a few anchovies would definitely give yours/Jamie's a bit of oooomph !! XXXX

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    1. Your Crab linguine ingredients could only be wonderful. After I posted this recipe this morning I did wonder how much it cost; I estimated sixpence (for 2).

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    2. A tad less than the crab !!!! XXXX

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  6. Perhaps some toasted pine nuts or some fresh chilli would add some flavour or kick to the dish.

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  7. The other 2 recipes on the page sound tastier!

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    1. It was the total simplicity that appealed in this one..... I quite expect the other two are tastier.

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  8. I have garlic and Tuscan kale in the garden so will have ago at this. Think I will saute the veg and use a veggie stock to improve the flavour.

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  9. Maybe it needs the leeks lol.

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    1. Actually I think that would have made it even more bland.

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  10. I think it's only appeal is visual. Let's taste it and see if we like green spaghetti.

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  11. Jamie and I are not on talking terms this minute.

    Yesterday I heard that he cut up an apple for one of his daughters who'd annoyed him and - by way of punishment - rubbed the slices with a scotch bonnet chilli before - in good faith - she bit into one. And you thought Snow White's stepmother was evil.

    You may slap someone as a knee jerk reaction but to rub chilli into an apple is premeditated. So no excuses there.

    U

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  12. I usually like Jamie's recipes, but this one included kale and anchovies. My mother made me eat kale when I was a kid and I hated it. I have not touched it since leaving my parents house. I never had to eat anchovies and never will.

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  13. I love simple pasta dishes, I think it looks and sounds very tasty! I also love leeks, so I probably would have added a couple of those.....and some red pepper flakes for a little kick. Now I'm hungry!

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  14. I think I would leave the leeks in Cro, because we do like them. Sadly ours in the garden were a complete failure this year (usually they are our best crop) because they went to seed before they were fully grown.

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  15. I also have a problem with Jamie.
    Most of his 15 minutes meals on TV here in America take much longer because of all the prep work.
    Plus he had another show on TV were he cooked for overweight school kids. I know America has a problem with this but I think if I read right so does the UK. So why was he here ?
    The red pepper on the apple is a huge no for me too.

    cheers, parsnip

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    1. He had a go at school lunches in the UK, trying to make them a bit healthier; I think he failed.

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