The world don't need another Pasta recipe, I know! but I can't help it. Spaghetti is my first love, Baked Ziti was my second. Carbonara was my third. Pesto Pasta was my fourth. So you see, I have a lot of relationship with Pasta. Hindi ba obvious na I love Pasta?!
My love for the food itself had evolved to the love of inventing new taste that would suit me and my food "critics" -my boys at home. =) Hubby has some kind of aversion for non-spaghetti pasta while my baby boy is not-so-fun with sauces yet.. he loves garlic and oil or just the pasta alone. Nonetheless, that won't stop me from coming up with new ideas and introducing their pallet to a new taste. Who knows, their pallet would evolve too..*hoping! hahaha
Anyways, weeks ago an idea came into my mind.. and shall i say, between the idea and the actual thing.. other than the recipe itself, the rest could be documented as "history".
So..this is my idea -Penne with Asparagus and 2 Cheese.
You'll Need:
*Setting of Expectation: Excuse the lack of measurement, this is the "first generation, first experiment" so it was more of a trial and error. Just taste, taste and taste as you go along so you would be guided.
Blue Cheese, crumbled.
Cheddar Cheese, grated.
1 bunch of Asparagus, cut into 1 and 1/2 inch long
Chicken, boneless breast, cut into small bite-sized pieces
White onions, finely chopped
Heavy cream
Chicken stock or the pasta water
Salt and White Pepper
Penne Pasta - i dont usually use Penne, so I have no reliable input on what brand to use yet =)
You'll Do:
Prep:
In a bowl, marinade Chicken with Salt and White Pepper. You can let the marinade set for 5-10 minutes if you have extra time. If not, start your prep with the chicken, so it gets marinated while your slicing/preparing the other ingredients.
Cooking:
Cook the pasta according to the "manufacturer". Cut off a minute or two of the cooking direction though. You will know why later.. Saute white onions for half a minute then add chicken. Continue with the saute until chicken is a bit browned. Add the asparagus and saute for another minute. Then, add all the liquids (stock/pasta water and heavy cream) and bring it to a light simmer. Once you see little signs of simmer, add the cheeses. Let it simmer for another 3-5 minutes or until most of the cheeses are melted. Add white Pepper, salt if you prefer. Taste it before adding salt though. The saltiness of the cheeses, maybe enough to season the entire sauce mixture. Once it taste perfectly, add the pasta and mix it well. Let it cook for another minute (and this is the reason for cooking the pasta a little shy than the manufacturer's instruction).
Serve while hot (I believe pasta with white sauce are best when hot. Unlike, the tomato based once, wherein at times, its best when it has stayed in the ref for a day. Oh well, I am stating a personal preference.).
Serve with a smile.
xoxo
