httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRSLck7UhcQ

Hello, Culinary Playmates:

It is I, Helenka, your fearless advocate of gustatory creativity (aka I eat weird but really tasty food and think you should, too). As my entirely unwanted throat problems were being quite persistent (and embarrassingly noticeable on camera ::sighs::), I believe Brian was doing his utmost best to try to shock them out of my system with as much garlic and other intense flavours as possible. This was another such episode. [Aw, Brian, you were being so helpful. ::pats Brian on the head::]

The recipe was simply smashing and the changes Brian made were very much appreciated. As you know, garlic is our friend and we think it should be yours, too. If the dish weren’t evidence enough, there was also garlic bread to accompany the pasta. Yay, more garlic!

We’ve mentioned more than once before that, when you reduce fat, salt and sugar, you must-must-must replace those appetite-enticers with strong flavours. [Well, you obviously wouldn’t replace the sugar with garlic (though I’m sure someone in Gilroy, Ca., the capital of garlic, has), but that’s why you have cinnamon and nutmeg, as well as extracts, in your spice rack, too. Right?]

I’ve always loved pasta (well, after I grew up, moved from my Polish neighbourhood, and actually discovered and started eating it) and cannot imagine not having it as a part of my personal culinary repertoire. The terrific thing about this dish is that, along with the marvellous merging of garlic, pesto and chili garlic sauces, there were all those primavera style veggies tossed in with abandon. I definitely believe that, if you’re going to try to eat healthier, it’s easier to create a tasty pasta dish that uses a titch of oil (as this one did), rather than trying to reproduce a cream-sauced dish (can anyone say Alfredo nemesis?) using low-fat substitutes. I’m sure it works … on some other planet, but not on Earth (or not without a whole lot of convoluted prep of the low-fat ingredients, thereby defeating the desired goal of simplicity). So I’m a big fan of olive oil or, if you only need a sheen in the skillet, an olive oil spray.

Variations:
If you’re not keen about any of the veggies we used, then come up with your own combination. You could incorporate any number of the following: green beans, sugar snap peas, baby corn, water chestnuts, asparagus, cauliflower, zucchini, a medley of colourful bell peppers, or anything else that grabs your attention while you’re walking through the produce section.

If you want to move beyond using plain olive oil (ooh, adventurous), you could experiment (there’s another of my favourite words) with flavoured oils such as roasted garlic (so NOT a surprise for us to recommend it), hot pepper or basil, etc.

If you think that angelhair pasta is too fussy (and don’t care to do all the twirling, either Roman-style or with a pasta spoon), go for penne or rotini. I could even see this dish being transformed into a vegetarian lasagna, layering the broad noodles with a mixture of sautéed veggies and the pesto/garlic/chili sauces. [Oh, Brian, I just made myself hungry. Could we try making this as a lasagna? Pleeeeeease? ::sighs in defeat:: Brian’s ears are apparently in OFF mode.]

Helenka’s Nostalgic Meanderings:
In the episode, I said that angelhair was my favourite type of pasta. But that wasn’t quite truthful. I happen to enjoy so many different styles of pasta because each has its own unique personality and texture (not to mention shape). After all, if there’s anything I can’t stand, it’s a food that is boring. Blech. ::shudders::

Angelhair is definitely a delicate delight. But, then again, I also remember how often I would make linguine with clams in a white wine and garlic broth that included many veggies. I think that was my signature dish during the 1980s. In the summer of 2010, I got into the habit of cooking up a pot of fusilli, draining and cooling the pasta before I’d toss it with kalamata olives, chopped tomatoes, sliced shallots, a spritz or two of red wine mist vinaigrette, and a finishing sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese. On a hot day, it made for a very refreshing and quick’n’easy dinner. Considering how unbearably hot it was last year, this dish helped to cool me off. Mind you, the glass of white wine was also nice.

And that’s another bonus for cooking with pasta. As long as you avoid any butter or cream sauces, you can usually serve it cold. It’s a versatile dish, a comfortable carbohydrate to which you can add a variety of protein, be it chicken, beef or sensational seafood (crab, lobster or shrimp are all yummy enhancements), making more expensive food purchases go a long way.

Well, that’s a wrap for another fall episode for 2011. As the weather gets colder (except for the lovely though totally anomalous warmth and sunshine we’re enjoying in Toronto this pre-Thanksgiving week), we’re sure this dish will definitely warm you up, inside and out. Until next time, have yourselves a great week and don’t forget to have fun with your food, too!

Enjoy!
B&H =;)

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Please note: We prepare, taste and review the recipes in the cookbook. However, in an effort to respect copyright, we are not able to reproduce the actual printed recipes here. If you do have the book, please follow along with us.