Red Wine Pasta #2

swissms's Note:

I haven't tried it yet but wanted to post it for safekeeping. The cooking method for this version is slightly different from my Rotwein-Nudeln (Red Wine Pasta With Spring Onions). In this recipe, "the pasta finishes boiling in the wine sauce." This turns the pasta a deep burgundy and gives it a rich flavor, complimented by the slight spice of the pepper. Updated 4/15/09: The original recipe did not specify the amount of red wine used. I have corrected the recipe to use a 750ml bottle.

• Total Time: 17 mins
• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 12 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 1 lb spaghetti or 1 lb fettuccine pasta
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 750 ml red wine (1 bottle, such as Merlot)
• 1 large shallot, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 8 -10 leaves fresh basil, chopped. (optional)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• salt, to taste
• ground black pepper, to taste
• freshly grated parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:

1. Put a large pot of water on to boil. (I add salt to water). Let it come to a boil.
2. Add the pasta to the pot of water, cook until al dente (check recommended cooking time found on the box of pasta; remove pasta from heat and drain about 2-4 minutes before end of recommended cooking time; pasta will finish cooking in the red wine sauce).
3. Meanwhile, in a large high-sided skillet, sauté the shallot, garlic and cayenne in the olive oil over medium-high heat until tender, about 1 minute.
4. Add the red wine and basil (optional) to your skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat slightly, keeping the sauce simmering.
5. Drain the pasta and add it to your skillet. Set the timer for the remainder of the cooking time for the pasta. As the pasta cooks, the wine should reduce down into a thick sauce. When the pasta is finished, add the butter to glaze. Season with salt and pepper. Take it out of the pan and serve.
6. Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Reviews

[KateL]

Following the recipe directions, I had burgundy red pasta, but I still had close to a liter of red wine in my 12-inch skillet -- hardly a sauce, so I would make changes next time. DH said the red wine aroma wafted up in every bite. I served Meatballs in Merlot on top of the pasta to create an intense Merlot entree. Then I simmered the remaining wine for 2 3/4 hours until it became a sauce; and by then, it was too intense for my taste and lacked the complexity that even a small amount of pancetta or bacon would have lent. I included photos of the fresh-cooked pasta, then the wine-sauced pasta, then the fresh-cooked pasta with Meatballs in Merlot on top. I think a 750-ml bottle of Merlot would have sufficed, and would then be easier to reduce to a sauce. I have read that in earlier times, a European household would let a wine sauce reduce over several hours on low temperature, and with the right seasonings, one would end up with a wonderful sauce. I'm experimenting with unusual pastas, so I will try swissms's Rotwein-Nudeln (Red Wine Pasta With Spring Onions) next for comparison. Made for Spring 2009 Pick A Chef.