Farmers Market Extra Creamy Pasta (made with coconut milk)
Even if the holidays are mega officially here and we wish to eat our weight (and the neighbor’s) in cookies and cake, we still need to eat, right?! Like real, substantial food I mean. That’s why I needed to share with you this super creamy pasta I made the other day using coconut milk, all the fresh squash from the season and lots of earthy herbs for a warm and comforting pasta meal. No heavy cream or butter this time. All the creaminess of the sauce comes purely from the coconut milk, the starch from the pasta water and all the cheese melted into it.
You have no idea how many times I make this pasta in a month. Well, if you already read my Mushrooms Linguine with Parmesan and White Cheddar you already know that. And you must already know as well about this trick of mine of using coconut milk instead of heavy cream and butter to make extra creamy sauces for pasta dishes. If you haven’t tried it you are missing out. The pasta ends up super creamy but with way-better-for you fats. And you can make this whole pasta dish in less than 30 minutes.
I shared this particular recipe for a corporate workshop I gave, and the idea was to use local fresh produce. For many years Puerto Rican agriculture has been a forgotten industry, and even if it started to grow during the last few years, it stalled after hurricane Maria. Now the industry is making a big comeback, thanks to technology and a new generation wanting to work our soil. I’m very happy whenever I get the chance to be involved in this kind of efforts!
The good news is that you don’t need a trip to Puerto Rico for grocery shopping. You can use whatever vegetable you love or have on hand; broccoli, mushrooms, peppers, onions… I kind of want to go now and make another bowl of this delicious creamy pasta!
How to Make Extra Creamy Pasta using Coconut Milk
Since this pasta cooks so fast, I like to prep all my veggies and seasonings in advance.
I boil the water and add the salt and the pasta only when the water is rapidly boiling.
In the meantime I heat the oil and sauté my veggies. This is a good time to add already seasoned shrimp or chopped chicken, beef or fish if you want to add some protein. Depending on how long the pasta you choose takes to cook, you can start this step right away after the pasta starts cooking or wait several minutes before cooking your vegetables, because they cook pretty fast.
When the veggies are almost done, I pour the coconut milk and add most of the cheeses I will be using. I always like to reserve a bit to sprinkle the pasta before serving. Remember to whisk or swirl the sauce so the cheeses melt into the liquid and don’t get stuck in the bottom of the pan.
Now it’s time to add some of the pasta water. This is a great trick to make a creamy thick sauce without the need of thickeners or heavy fats.
When the pasta is al dente, I transfer it to the skillet directly from the pot with a spaghetti spoon, no need to drain it!
I finish cooking the pasta in the sauce, tossing most of the time so it doesn’t get stuck on the bottom. I serve immediately and sprinkle extra cheese, fresh grated black pepper and some basil or fresh Italian parsley if I have some on hand. Dinner is served!
I know this dish will become a regular in your home once you make it. Let me know in the comments if you are going to try it and what other things you are planning to add to this super creamy pasta. Love when you share how you adapt my recipes to make them your own! Remember to subscribe to the comment thread to receive a notification when I answer you.
Until the next delicious dish!
Farmers Market Extra Creamy Pasta
Ingredients
◯ Tagliatelle or linguine - approximately 12 oz
◯ Water - 6 cups
◯ Fine sea salt - 1 ½ TBSP + ¼ tsp, divided
◯ Extra virgin olive oil - 3 to 4 TBSP
◯ Yellow zucchini, sliced - 1 cup
◯ Green zucchini, sliced - 1 cup
◯ Small eggplant, sliced - ½ cup
◯ Green olives - ¼ to ½ cup
◯ Finely chopped earthy herbs (rosemary, tarragon, parsley, thyme) - approximately 1 TBSP
◯ Herbs du Provence - ½ tsp
◯ Pure organic coconut milk - 1 cup
◯ Sage sprigs (optional) - 1
◯ Grated or ground Parmesan, Asiago or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese - ½ cup
◯ Grated gruyere, fontina, or white cheddar cheese - ½ cup
Steps
In a large deep pot bring the water to a boil. When it’s rapidly boiling add the one and a half tablespoon of salt. Place the pasta inside the pot and using a large cooking spoon start soaking the pasta that is outside the water until it’s bendable and you can submerge it all. Cook as per package instructions, around 7 to 8 minutes, or 2 minutes less than package directions for al dente texture. Stir occasionally so that the pasta does not stick to the bottom of the pot.
While the water is boiling, heat the 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini and eggplant slices and sprinkle with a pinch of the remaining salt. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently so that they do not stick to the bottom. And the olives and toss once more. Add the minced fresh herbs and herbs du Provence and cook for an additional minute
When the pasta is about two minutes short form being cooked, use a kitchen ladle and transfer about 5 tablespoons of the pasta water to the pan. Add the coconut milk and the sage sprigs to infuse the sauce. Add the cheeses and whisk a bit so they start melting into the sauce. At this point, you can taste the sauce and sprinkle an additional pinch of salt if you need to adjust the flavor. Using a spaghetti ladle transfer the pasta to the pan. Using kitchen tongs, combine the pasta with the sauce and cook for about two minutes, tossing occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom. If necessary, reduce the heat of the burner to medium.
Remove from heat and serve immediately, grating additional cheese and adding more thyme and fresh pepper if desired. Enjoy!
