14 Comments
deletedJun 23, 2023Liked by Ryan Elston, Ryan Wildstar
Comment deleted
Expand full comment
author

Couldn't agree more! Simple pasta is often the best pasta, especially when the pasta and sauce are both fresh! I'm getting hungry now.

Expand full comment
author

That sounds delicious! I adore marinara sauce. And fresh pasta is everything. It must be time for dinner here because, like my husband, now I'm hungry too!

Expand full comment
author

Ok, I'll go first! One of my absolute favorite pasta dishes is the delectable Wild Boar Ragu with Pappardelle (aka Maccheroni in Tuscany). Here's one of my favorite recipes from the infamous Pasta Grannies. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkzhxlQdLQM

Expand full comment
author
Jun 23, 2023·edited Jun 29, 2023Author

Yum! Your Wild Boar Ragu is amazing!

Expand full comment
author

I'm going to have to choose that old school, soul food classic: Baked Mac & Cheese! Probably my favorite comfort food of all time. And the history of the dish is quite interesting as well: https://www.essence.com/culture/macaroni-james-hemings-feature/

Expand full comment
author

I knew you'd say this! It's totally your "happy place" dish and I always love making it for you.

Expand full comment
author

Yours is always my favorite! ❤

Expand full comment
Jun 23, 2023·edited Jun 23, 2023Liked by Ryan Elston, Ryan Wildstar

Okay, my fave pasta is chicken tenders with scallion, sun-dried tomatoes in a cream sherry sauce.

But, because of this substack, my EZ to make fave is Ryan's "Basic Bitch" pasta. So, thank you for this one.

Expand full comment
author

Ooohhh, love a sherry cream sauce! What kind of noodles are you partial to for this dish?

Expand full comment

Ideally I use fettuccini, and the recipe I use is from Louise's Trattoria Los Angeles. There is no garlic or spices other than salt & pepper, per the original recipe.

They have changed their ingredients over the years. I use a sweet cream sherry, chopped scallions, sun-dried tomatoes. First I brown the chicken tenders on both sides, but only brown them and take them out immediately-par cooked. Add olive oil, saute the scallions for a minute or two, add salt & pepper, then add the soaked or if they are already soft sun-dried tomatoes.

Add a third cup of cream sherry to deglaze and this must cook on low heat until all the alcohol smell is gone. 5 minutes at medium? If there is still alcohol in there it will curdle the cream. Then I add the browned chicken tenders back into the skillet and pour a third to a half cup of heavy cream over the chicken. To this I grate parmesan cheese. Then I cover the skillet, turn off the heat and let it resume ambient heat cooking for 15 minutes, 10 if the cream is room temperature. Mix with the fettuccini. Voila!

Expand full comment
author

Welcome to the fellowship of Basic Bitch Pasta! One of the easiest and best culinary inventions ever!

Expand full comment
Jun 24, 2023Liked by Ryan Elston, Ryan Wildstar

Give me a good lasagna any day.

Expand full comment
author

I love a good homemade lasagna!

Expand full comment
author

I love lasagna too! And now I can't stop thinking of Garfield . . .

Expand full comment