Spaghetti Collins

I try a lot of recipes. Of those that I try, from a wide variety of sources, about 70% of them make it into the blog. The other 30% ends up in the trash. Rapidly. As a general rule, the recipes that I find in newspapers tend to represent my biggest failures, not the local recipes as much as those published via the Associated Press. I am still reeling from a recipe they published over the holidays promising to be a clone of the 100 Grand Bar. Wretched is the best way that I can describe this most miserable of all my failures.

Because of this history, I tend to be leery when I spot something that appears to be interesting in the newspaper. The headline proclaiming that this recipe could be on the table in 35 minutes is what totally sucked me in.  Published in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch via the Washington Post via Saveur Magazine, from a recipe that originated at Pascal's Manale in New Orleans (are you still with me?), this quick and easy, light, simple, subtle pasta dish is a winner. I used linguini and served it as a meatless main dish alongside a mixed green salad with a light vinaigrette  and chunks of crusty asiago cheese bread slathered with butter. It would work equally well divided into smaller portions and served as an appetizer course. I cannot wait for my home grown spring scallions to be harvested so that I can make this dish again, and as far as I am concerned, the more scallions the better.

Spaghetti Collins

(or Linguini Collins, in my case)

Kosher salt

1 pound dried spaghetti

2 cloves garlic

6 bunches scallions

1/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup dry white wine

4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter

½ cup no-salt-added chicken broth or beef broth

½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for serving

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add a generous pinch of salt, then the pasta. Cook to al dente according to the package directions. Drain.

Meanwhile, mince the garlic and trim off the scallions’ root ends and slippery outside layers, then coarsely chop the white and green parts.

Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the garlic, scallions and white wine; cook for 2 to 4 minutes, stirring often, until just softened.

Cut the butter into 1-tablespoon pieces; stir them and the broth into the pot to form a creamy sauce. Add the cooked spaghetti and toss to coat. Divide among individual wide, shallow bowls. Sprinkle the Parmigiano-Reggiano over each portion. Serve immediately.

This post is linked to:

Wow Us Wednesday
Work It Wednesday

What’s It Wednesday

What We Accomplished Wednesday