Presto Pasta Nights #193 Happening Here This Week

Hey Kids! This week it's my turn to host Presto Pasta Nights, the weekly blog event that gives center stage to the humble noodle, in all its glorious incarnations. Presto Pasta Nights was hatched over at Ruth's blog, Once Upon a Feast, and she graciously offers other food bloggers the chance to carbo load as guest hosts for this fun event. (Do let Ruth know if you would like an opportunity to do so in the future).


To join in the fun, all you need to do is blog about a recipe that involves some kind of pasta, link back to Presto Pasta Nights and The Crispy Cook, and then send me an email by Thursday, December 9, midnight Eastern Standard Time (info (at) oldsaratogabooks (dot) com to let me know that your post is up. Add a cc to Ruth (at) 4everykitchen (dot) com and include a photo attachment so I know which shot you'd like me to feature in my roundup post this Friday, December 10.

For my entry to Presto Pasta Nights, I wanted to try a recipe I had bookmarked earlier on The Food Network site, created by Guy Fieri, Paccheri Pasta with Cauliflower and Spinach. It seems that whenever I go to my neighborhood gym to work off some of my cooking, the televisions over the elliptical machines and stationery bikes are always stuck on The Food Network and Guy's smiling face. I'm already sweating and then I start drooling, so I have to keep a full water bottle at the ready to keep hydrated.

Anyway, I wanted to make use of the beautiful cauliflowers that are appearing in the produce aisle this time of year, so I gathered up a lovely white chouxfleur and set to work. The paccheri pasta refers to large tubes, but we made do with gluten-free corn rigatoni. This sauce was easy to prepare and had so many layers of flavor from loads of sliced and minced garlic, fresh Italian parsley, capers, red pepper flakes and fresh grated Romano cheese. A hearty vegetarian pasta dish indeed and the al dente cauliflower florets make a nice counterpoint to the softer noodles.


I have already gotten some intriguing and tasty Presto Pasta Nights entries already and am looking forward to YOUR noodly submissions to our weekly pasta party!