I was overjoyed the other day when I spotted my favorite fall produce item – chestnuts. I love to not only roast chestnuts, but also incorporate them into recipes whenever possible. They have such a wonderful flavor – so delicate and slightly sweet, yet nutty at the same time.
For this pasta recipe, I started with a little Prosciutto and shallot and sautéed them in some olive oil. I then added the chestnuts and de-glazed the skillet with vermouth. You could also use any white wine you have available. I like using vermouth because we usually drink red in our house and vermouth is not only cheap but also has added spices.
I then added my chestnut mixture to my blender with some milk for added creaminess and fresh sage When I started blending the sauce, I add some pasta cooking water until the sauce is a good creamy consistency. After the sauce is done, I toss my spaghetti with is and finish the dish with some freshly grated Pecorino Romano. This salty flavorful cheese is a nice balance to the slightly sweet pasta sauce. You could also just use Parmesan, or omit the cheese altogether. This pasta recipe is packed with flavor, so the cheese is completely optional.
For the spaghetti, I used Barilla Plus. It’s a healthier pasta option that’s packed with protein and nutrition. It’s made with healthy ingredients like flaxseed, legumes and spelt. It also tastes great! It’s a great pasta for the whole family that balances good taste AND nutrition.
Barilla also has a new product I spotted in my grocery store this week. It’s part of their Blue Box line – one is white fiber. It’s like white wheat bread – tastes and looks like our favorite white pasta, but has all the nutrition of wheat pasta.
The second one is veggie pasta, it comes in three colors and flavors – a green (spinach and zucchini) rotini, a red (tomatoes and carrots) penne and an orange (carrots and squash) farfalle. They are great for kids because the provide a full serving of veggies per 3.5 oz serving.
Barilla has revamped their packaging and expanded their Blue Box family to include 2 new lines of Better for You products – Veggie & White Fiber! These new products will feature the new Blue packaging, along with their Whole Grain and Classic Blue Box pastas. And as before, your favorite PLUS pasta will still be found in its familiar yellow packaging.
As a celebration of these new products, Barilla has also launched a new game app for iPhone and Droid called “Capture the Pasta,” that offers some incredible prizes! Capture the Pasta is a virtual scavenger hunt that encourages you to “capture” the virtual pasta shapes near their location and share with friends and family for a chance to win one of 1,000 instant prizes, an Italian-inspired trip in the US or the Grand Prize of a trip to Italy!
Be sure to “Like” Barilla on Facebook and Follow Barilla on Twitter!
Yield: Serves 6
1 (16 oz) package Barilla PLUS Spaghetti, cooked according to package directions
1 lb fresh chestnuts
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium shallot, chopped
1/4 lb Prosciutto, chopped
1/2 cup vermouth
1/2 cup milk or cream
1/4 cup fresh sage leaves
1/2 - 1 cup pasta water (enough to thin sauce)
freshly grated Pecorino Romano (optional)
Cut an x on the bottom of every chestnut and addd to a medium saucepan. Cover with water and boil for about 10 minutes. Cool and peel or cut in half and remove chestnut. Set aside.
Cook pasta according to directions. Preheat a large skillet. Drizzle with olive oil and add shallot and Prosciutto. Cook over medium heat until shallot is tender and Prosciutto is lightly browned.
Add chestnuts to skillet and cook for 1 - 2 minutes. Deglaze the pan with vermouth and add milk or cream. Heat through, but do not boil. Add these ingredients to blender. Add fresh sage. Blend, adding pasta water as needed, until sauce is smooth and creamy.
Toss pasta with sauce and garnish with fresh sage leaves. Top with freshly grated Pecorino Romano if desired.
Disclosure: This post sponsored by Barilla. All opinions 100% mine.
