Devotees of Restaurant Widow know that I make a lot of pasta, and sometimes they chide me for it. Well, I suppose that's fine. It's a good vehicle for almost anything, and even if you're starving, lazy, and grumpy, you can just put some salt, pepper and olive oil on it and viola, dinner for one crabapple.
Now that we finally have a few things growing here in Central Ohio, here is my first market-inspired pasta dish for the season. The first of many, I promise. This is also good cold; as I was eating the leftovers at work last night, a coworker asked what it was and I said it's 90% local pasta. "Does it sparkle with local flavor goodness?" she asked, kind of being sarcastic. "OF COURSE!!!" I said. "All the vegetables in here have been out of the ground only 24 hours! And were grown about an hour away!" "hmm," she said. She just moved here. Just wait till I force her to go to the Farmer's market. She'll be a convert.
90% Local Pasta - serves 2
4 ounces whole wheat spaghetti
3 sun-dried tomatoes, soaked in boiling water 5 minutes and then chopped
2 bulbs green garlic
large bunch asparagus, cut into 1" chunks, heads reserved
2 ounces chicken stock
1/2 roasted chicken, or 2 leftover chicken breasts, shredded
1 handful arugula, roughly chopped or torn if it's the big leaf kind
5 chives, minced
Good Olive oil
salt and pepper
Cook the pasta according to package directions, drain and set aside. In the meantime, preheat a large saute pan over medium heat, then add a little olive oil or cooking spray. Add the green garlic and saute for a minute until it just softens, then add the asparagus chunks, tomatoes, and chicken stock and stir for about 3 minutes, until the asparagus begins to soften. Add the chicken and arugula, then toss in the pasta and the asparagus tops. Transfer to plates and top with good olive oil and chives, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Enjoy the the taste of local spring.
Sources for these Ingredients:
Whole Wheat Spaghetti - Trader Joe's, not local
Asparagus - Anderson Orchard (I think, but I'm not sure) from the North Market, vendor between the hanging baskets and Toad Hill.
Arugula, Sundried Tomatoes, Chives - Toad Hill Organics, North Market
Green Garlic - Combs Fresh Herbs, North Market
Chicken Stock - North Market Poultry & Game
Chicken - Local Amish chicken, already roasted from Weiland's Gourmet Market
Olive Oil - it was local when I bought it this past fall in Berkeley from Stonehouse Olive Oil
