100 Things Challenge: Recipe One: Pasta Aioli / The Beginning
I decided to go ahead with the 100 Things challenge, and finally settled on 100 Things I've Cooked or Baked, because food is delicious and awesome. I love food: love to look at it, cook it, eat it, and share it with others. I also love trying new recipes, something I’m quite certain I shall have to do in order to make 100 posts.
There will probably not be pictures. While you are photographing food, you are not eating it, and also that would involve things like downloading, and saving, and naming, and uploading and embedding/linking and I am lazy. Also - and I’m not saying it can’t be done - I find that amateur photos of food generally don’t look very appetizing (while being aware that pro shots have had so much done you wouldn’t WANT to eat the stuff if you could). So unless something turns out exceptionally well, I won’t be taking pictures.
I came up with this idea last night when I was making, well, pasta aioli for supper. It’s a really simple recipe - like, really simple. And cheap. Also good to make when you’ve had a stressful day at work, because who doesn’t want to have a quick supper after that, especially when it involves crushing things? It’s also not very expensive, once you break down the costs. I think it comes to around $2, even if all the ingredients are regular price.
Original recipe from the lovely and talented intravox.
Pasta Aioli (for one)
Note: Measurements are approximate. I tend to do things freehand when I’m not actually following a recipe. And sometimes when I am.
Ingredients:
Spaghetti or spaghettini, maybe 1/4 of the box?
4 good-sized cloves of garlic
1/4 teaspoon chili pepper flakes
1/4 cup olive oil
Parmesan cheese
Equipment:
Cooking spoon
Small plate or saucer
Paring knife
Large pot for the pasta - Even if you’re only making enough for yourself. Pasta needs room to swim so it doesn’t stick to itself.
Skillet - Doesn’t matter if it’s non-stick, not with this much oil.
Garlic press. Alternatively, crush the garlic with the flat of a large knife then chop it fine. (If you buy a garlic press, treat yourself to a good, stainless steel one. The plastic ones will break and need to be replaced regularly, and you aren’t actually saving any money in the long term. Besides, you deserve good equipment in your kitchen.)
Instructions:
Bring a pot of water with a dash of salt in it to a boil. Once the pot has come to a rolling boil, drop your pasta in. You don’t need to stir it or break it up: as it softens it will slip itself into the water, and besides, you have things to do.
While the pasta is cooking, put the skillet on medium heat. Let it heat for 30 seconds, then add the oil.
While the skillet is heating, peel the garlic. If it’s difficult, try giving the clove a little twist, not hard enough to break it. The skin will often come away much more easily. This should take up your 30 seconds. After you’ve added the oil, crush the garlic onto the little plate. It makes it easier to transport, and catches any liquid that might otherwise wind up uneaten. Peel the uncrushed garlic out of the press, dice, and added it to the rest. Run the press under hot water right away, or it will be a pain in the ass to clean later.
Add the chili pepper flakes to the plate, and check your skillet. The oil should be shimmery by now. Add the garlic and chili pepper and stir into the oil. Cook, stirring, until the pasta has cooked and the garlic is golden, which won’t take too long so keep an eye on it.
Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Toss with the contents of the skillet, and serve. Sprinkle with parmesan, and maybe some black pepper, and enjoy. ^_^
To make for more people, just multiply the proportions by the number of people you're cooking for.
I’ll cite the source for anything that comes from an actual cookbook, website, or individual. If anyone has recipes they want to suggest, that would be great. Just a couple of things, though: meat is really expensive right now, so anything with meat in it would have to wait until it goes on sale if I take you up on it; nothing with hazelnut because Steve is allergic; and no shellfish because I’m allergic. I really, really dislike horseradish. I won’t cook with anything like pre-frozen dough or Velveeta (food snobbery? fine by me) and really, that stuff is so bad for you. Apart from that, I’m willing to attempt just about anything. :D
If you make anything I post yourself, or have any feedback or suggestions on a recipe, please let me know in the comments.
There will probably not be pictures. While you are photographing food, you are not eating it, and also that would involve things like downloading, and saving, and naming, and uploading and embedding/linking and I am lazy. Also - and I’m not saying it can’t be done - I find that amateur photos of food generally don’t look very appetizing (while being aware that pro shots have had so much done you wouldn’t WANT to eat the stuff if you could). So unless something turns out exceptionally well, I won’t be taking pictures.
I came up with this idea last night when I was making, well, pasta aioli for supper. It’s a really simple recipe - like, really simple. And cheap. Also good to make when you’ve had a stressful day at work, because who doesn’t want to have a quick supper after that, especially when it involves crushing things? It’s also not very expensive, once you break down the costs. I think it comes to around $2, even if all the ingredients are regular price.
Original recipe from the lovely and talented intravox.
Pasta Aioli (for one)
Note: Measurements are approximate. I tend to do things freehand when I’m not actually following a recipe. And sometimes when I am.
Ingredients:
Spaghetti or spaghettini, maybe 1/4 of the box?
4 good-sized cloves of garlic
1/4 teaspoon chili pepper flakes
1/4 cup olive oil
Parmesan cheese
Equipment:
Cooking spoon
Small plate or saucer
Paring knife
Large pot for the pasta - Even if you’re only making enough for yourself. Pasta needs room to swim so it doesn’t stick to itself.
Skillet - Doesn’t matter if it’s non-stick, not with this much oil.
Garlic press. Alternatively, crush the garlic with the flat of a large knife then chop it fine. (If you buy a garlic press, treat yourself to a good, stainless steel one. The plastic ones will break and need to be replaced regularly, and you aren’t actually saving any money in the long term. Besides, you deserve good equipment in your kitchen.)
Instructions:
Bring a pot of water with a dash of salt in it to a boil. Once the pot has come to a rolling boil, drop your pasta in. You don’t need to stir it or break it up: as it softens it will slip itself into the water, and besides, you have things to do.
While the pasta is cooking, put the skillet on medium heat. Let it heat for 30 seconds, then add the oil.
While the skillet is heating, peel the garlic. If it’s difficult, try giving the clove a little twist, not hard enough to break it. The skin will often come away much more easily. This should take up your 30 seconds. After you’ve added the oil, crush the garlic onto the little plate. It makes it easier to transport, and catches any liquid that might otherwise wind up uneaten. Peel the uncrushed garlic out of the press, dice, and added it to the rest. Run the press under hot water right away, or it will be a pain in the ass to clean later.
Add the chili pepper flakes to the plate, and check your skillet. The oil should be shimmery by now. Add the garlic and chili pepper and stir into the oil. Cook, stirring, until the pasta has cooked and the garlic is golden, which won’t take too long so keep an eye on it.
Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Toss with the contents of the skillet, and serve. Sprinkle with parmesan, and maybe some black pepper, and enjoy. ^_^
To make for more people, just multiply the proportions by the number of people you're cooking for.
I’ll cite the source for anything that comes from an actual cookbook, website, or individual. If anyone has recipes they want to suggest, that would be great. Just a couple of things, though: meat is really expensive right now, so anything with meat in it would have to wait until it goes on sale if I take you up on it; nothing with hazelnut because Steve is allergic; and no shellfish because I’m allergic. I really, really dislike horseradish. I won’t cook with anything like pre-frozen dough or Velveeta (food snobbery? fine by me) and really, that stuff is so bad for you. Apart from that, I’m willing to attempt just about anything. :D
If you make anything I post yourself, or have any feedback or suggestions on a recipe, please let me know in the comments.