Accepting the Unexpected
I lived in Italy for a year in my early 30's and of course became somewhat of a pasta 'snob.' Cheese with this dish, no cheese with another, which type of pasta with which sauce etc.. Last week I stepped out of my foodie comfort zone and tried a new middle eastern twist on a pasta dish and was pleasantly surprised.
The dish calls for some lovely warming spices and fresh herbs to be woven about fresh pasta and toasted pine nuts.
Sometimes the unexpected can be really delicious. I was pleasantly surprised with the taste and will definitely cook this again.
The noodle/pasta being long in length is a symbol of longevity and long life gives us an opportunity to gain greater wisdom and insight. Mint and parsley add a freshness to the dish and fragrance and the shallots help to really lift the taste of the dish which is sauteed in a nutty butter and oil combo.
This is a nice and easy mid week meal which does not cry out for cheese and although it is not better than my much loved traditional Italian pasta dishes, is perhaps a good healthy alternative occasionally.
If you are interested in contemplating yoga philosophy and doing a spot of cooking and referencing food as a metaphor for some vital teachings, my online course can be found at;
Saffron Tagliatelle with Spiced Butter (from 'Plenty - by Yotam Ottolenghi
Fresh Tagliatelle cooked al-dente
spiced butter (4 people)
1 stick unsalted butter
4 tbs virgin Olive Oil
8 Shallots finely chopped
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp chili flakes
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp sea salt
black pepper
2/3 cup toasted pine nuts
4 tbs chopped parsley
4 tbs chopped mint
Melt butter and oil and gently saute the shallots. Add spices and cook gently for a minute. Add more oil if necessary. Toss though the cooked pasta and fold in the herbs and pine nuts. Simple!
Sometimes it is nice to veer out of our comfort zones and experience something new. This helps to expand our consciousness and not become stuck in worn out ideas and concepts. As spiritual seekers it is good to embrace change and become enthusiastic about new adventures, new friends and new foods.
Put that into your food shealth.
Camella
