I remixed a version of this dish the other day on live stream. The video is below, check it out.
I roasted the veggies instead of blanching – but hey, you’ve got option.
Here’s what you’ll need:
10 strips of bacon, cut into pieces
1/2 an onion, chopped
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of pepper
1 tablespoon of dried Italian herbs
4 cups of cooked ziti pasta
a handful of yellow cherry tomatoes
a handful of blanched asparagus, cut into about 2 inch pieces
Whipped Feta (the recipe is here or watch me make it here start at about the 4:58 mark)
1. Saute bacon and onion in olive oil until the bacon is cooked.
2. Drain out all of the bacon fat (or if you’re like me, leave a little in for taste)
3. Season the drained bacon with salt, pepper and Italian herbs.
4. Toss in the tomatoes, pasta, and blanched asparagus and cook on low heat until everything has warmed through. Be sure to stir to incorporate all of the bacon and seasonings with the pasta.
5. Serve with a dollop of whipped feta.
Note: Please don’t go to the grocery store and ask for blanched asparagus. LOL. Blanching is a way to enjoy vegetables in their raw state, but cooking out a bit of the raw taste. Ever noticed the difference between extremely raw broccoli and broccoli that has that vibrant green color? Well, that’s because the vibrant green broccoli has been blanched. Blanching also sets the color so your veggies look prettier. It’s super simple to do. Just fill a pot with water and bring it to a boil. As it boils, add in some salt – a lot. You can’t go wrong with the amount of salt. I’m not sure where you get your veggies from, but where I get mine from they don’t come seasoned – so a little salt is good. Drop in the veggies in the boiling water and let them cook for about 60 seconds. That’s it – drain them and use them immediately. If you’re not using the veggies immediately, here’s how you stop the cooking process from blanching (so they don’t go blanching overboard and turn mushy). Just fill a bowl with ice water and as soon as you drain the veggies from the boiling water, drop them in the ice water until you’re ready to use them. This has been your Blanching Veggies 101 class…go forth!
