Our previous dinner party was sooo well organized compared to this last one. The menu was chosen days ahead of time. Groceries were in the fridge and the food was prepped the night before. That is the key; plan everything at least two week in advance with shopping dates and food prep schedules.
This last one? Not so much. For example, one of our guests showed up 5 mins early and is totally responsible for the shredded Zucchini above. Luckily, none of our friends held it against us. It's a learning process, right? It was our fault, we chose something simple and were way too laid back about getting started. I apologize in advance for the lack of photos.
Our problems began with changing our main course at the last minute. We needed something that was quick and easy. So, we made like college students and cooked some pasta....
Zucchini Ricotta Pasta
The one thing to remember when making pasta, especially around Italians, is to make sure you never, I mean NEVER, over cook the noodles. I'm almost starting to think there isn't such a thing as under cooking it... just kidding. I'll admit - I do love it, and all the picky Italians in my life, when pasta is perfectly al dente.
To start, all you need is:
- Rigatoni Pasta
- Shredded Zucchini
- Ricotta
First, heat the Zucchini in a pan until it is soft and warm. A fun trick I learned from Tony is to put the Ricotta in the bottom of your serving dish and throw it in the oven to heat up. That way it will be warm and ready to serve as soon as the pasta is done.
Mix it all together with the cooked pasta and serve. Wah-la. One easy home cooked meal.
Despite our late start, the night was a blast full of laughter and wine eventually ending in Karaoke at Nico's Recovery Room. There is Karaoke there every Saturday night!
xx