I did something silly last week. I made a kickin dinner to take to the Hollywood Bowl and didn’t get any formal pictures of it. And what a shame that was, because it was a masterpiece! While we usually cater our dinners to be delivered to our box, a group of us women decided to potluck, as we’re all a bit on the “foodie” side. The emails coordinating were hilarious, as exchanges between women about food usually are.
Knowing that pasta is a pretty easy dish to transport and serve cold, I found a recipe that I’d been wanting to try for some time. It was awesome; really flavorful and simple to serve. Having it cold while drinking a lovely Fume Blanc wine was the perfect meal for a warm summer night!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 large Lemon, Raw
- 2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Pepper, Black
- 1 box Penne Rigate
- 1/4 cup Butter (unsalted)
- 2 cups Arugula (baby)
- 1 cup Pecorino Romano Grated
- 1/2 cup Pine Nuts
- Roasted Chicken
For the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest (I zested quite a bit and was happy with the results), salt, and pepper until smooth. Set aside.
For the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water.
In a high-sided skillet, whisk the butter over medium heat until melted. Simmer until foamy. Continue to cook until the butter has a nutty aroma and turns a caramel color, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the pasta, dressing, arugula, tomatoes, Parmesan, pine nuts, and chicken. Toss until coated, adding the reserved pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time to loosen the sauce, if needed. Transfer to a large bowl and serve.
Cook’s Note: To toast the pine nuts, arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F oven until lightly toasted, 6 to 8 minutes. Cool completely before using.
Looks delicious!!!
You had me at brown butter! I’ll need to try this soon.
Oh my gosh, that looks DELICIOUS. I may have to try making that! Probably shouldn’t have read this before going to bed – now I’m hungry.