A is for artichoke, B is for bacon, C is for cannellini beans. Ben and I were inspired by something we saw on a cooking show, but honestly, they had us at bacon. We kind of stopped listening after that. What we can tell you is that this dish worked out. It fills your belly in the tastiest, warmest way.
ABC Pasta
1 pound orecchiette pasta
1/4 pound bacon, chopped
3 tablespoons butter, separated
5 cloves of garlic, sliced thinly
1 pinch red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts in brine, quartered, drained
3 ounces parmesan cheese, freshly grated, divided
Salt and pepper to taste
Basil, sliced thinly
Cook pasta in boiling, salted water until just al dente.
Meanwhile, fry bacon in large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Just before bacon is crisp, add 1 tablespoon butter, olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Reduce heat to medium low and cook for a couple minutes. Add beans and artichoke hearts. Cook 2 minutes.
Drain pasta, reserving at least 1 cup of pasta water. Add cooked pasta to bean mixture in pan. Add 2 tablespoons butter and enough pasta water to make a silky sauce, stirring and cooking over medium heat until butter melts. Remove from heat and add 2 ounces parmesan cheese, stirring until melted. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste. Add basil and stir. Serve with additional parmesan.
For the veggie, Ben picked Brussels sprouts, which he calls “Russel” sprouts. He had a friend named Russel that he was in class with every year, so “it makes sense,” as Ben would say.
Shaved Brussels Spouts
1/4 pound bacon, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound Brussels sprouts, sliced thinly in food processor
Salt and pepper to taste
Fry bacon in heavy, cast iron pan until crisp. Remove bacon to paper towel-lined plate, reserving grease in pan. Add olive oil to pan, and when it is quite hot, add Brussels sprouts. Stir and cook until sprouts are a bit charred and cooked through. If you happen to have some hot pasta water on hand, feel free to throw it in to prevent burning and sticking to the bottom of the pan.
We have had a big week. I mean, not as big as Jen and Matt’s, but still, pretty big. Who are Jen and Matt, you ask? Let’s just say that if our family needed to appoint an honorary member, Jen would win the popular vote, and Matt (also certified as awesome) would be her running mate. Last weekend we had the distinct honor and privilege of attending their wedding, where Ben danced like nobody was watching, which is exactly how he dances when everybody is watching.
Ben had been looking forward to the wedding for months. He shaved in September, in anticipation, and was really miffed that this effort “didn’t count”. I regret not taking good pictures of the event (or of the great shaving job), but I sure did enjoy catching up with old friends. Jen and Matt, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness!
Oh, and we all got our booster shots on Saturday. No pictures of this either, just a better shot of emerging from the scourge unscathed.