Pasta a la Persephone

[persephone33]

I totally ripped this off from The Pioneer Woman Cooks, which is a blog that I love and can be found in the Links list on my journal page.  I made it vegetarian, and then made it my own.  It's pretty image intensive under the cut, y'all.  But there's cream sauce, making it totally worth your time, although not at all dietetic.  It's like cooking with Paula Deen.  

*affects Paula Deen's accent*  Hi, y'all.  Today, we're gonna  make a salad.  First, you take a stick of butter...

No, it's not that bad.  

Yeah, it is.  I'm not going to lie.

Bowtie pasta, cooked and drained
3 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 onion diced small
4 cloves garlic, minced
tomato paste (yes, Mother, it worked)
1 c. whipping cream
3/4 c chicken broth
1/2 c white wine
1 tbsp parsely
8 leaves fresh basil, chiffonaded
salt and pepper, to taste

(You see, like so many things I cook, the ingredient amounts are fluid.  Nothing's set in stone y'all!  Cook onion and garlic in oil and butter till onion is clear.  Add liquids.  Cook.  Add tomato paste.  Stir.  Cook.  Add cream.  Die a little with pleasure.  Whisk.  Add drained pasta.  Eat.  Enjoy.

T
The cast of characters.

After I took the pic, I decided to use farfalle pasta instead of spaghetti.  Sue me.
And usually, I'd use actual garlic, but I was out.  We adapt and overcome.


Cook the onion,


Chiffonade the basil, which involves stacking the leaves and slicing thinly

add liquids, tomato paste, cream, basil

grate some good cheese.  It's all about the cheese.

Add the pasta...

Isn't it pretty?

Pair it with some roasted asparagus...

And you've got quite the colorful dinner.  You non-vegetarians could put shrimp or chicken in this and it would be fablous, with some crusty bread?  Mmmm mmm.  P.S.  Ethan set the table.  I actually do know how a place setting goes, but y'know, he was helping...

Anyone hungry?