lemon fusilli (or farfalle) with arugula (or broccoli)

Maven: someone who is dazzlingly skilled in any field.  Don't you just love that definition?  Wouldn't you love to be called a maven of something? Anything? I know I would! What a compliment.

Well, after singing Martha's praises in my last post, I wanted to pay homage to another kitchen maven, Ina Garten.  I love Ina.  Some people feel she's pretentious.  I just think she's dazzlingly skilled.  She's another one whose recipes I know I can infallibly trust.

With Dan being gone, I was bored out of my mind and had no real dinner plans. I was craving some sort of macaroni and cheese (shocking, I know).  But not something super heavy, you know?  It was hot out and I didn't feel like anything too rich.  I figured Annie's mac and cheese would have been perfect, but lo and behold, we had none.  How this is possible, I honestly don't know.  I think it's a crime against humanity to not always have a box of Annie's just waiting in your cupboard.  I flipped through my Barefoot Contessa cookbook and found her recipe for lemon fusilli with arugula. I had a winner.

Now, I didn't have fusilli or arugula and I didn't want as much as the recipe called for, but I was determined to make this work.  So, I halved the recipe.  Used half cream and half half and half (whoa halves!) because I ran out of cream.  I used farfalle instead of fusilli and about a cup of chopped brocolli (which I par-boiled with the pasta when it was just about done) instead of arugula.

It was still perfect though.  Just creamy and cheesy enough to remind me of mac and cheese, but light enough with the lemon and vegetables that it wasn't overwhelming on a summer night.  Yum.  Writing about it is making my stomach growl.

While my version came out great, I'm going to write the full recipe here. It was so good that unless you're only making this for one person, you should make the full batch.  I can't wait for Dan to come home so I can have an excuse to make this again.

lemon fusilli with arugula
from Barefoot Contessa at Home

1 tablespoon good olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic (2 cloves)
2 cups heavy cream
3 lemons (I think 2 would work if they're large)
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound dried fusilli pasta
1/2 pound baby arugula (or 2 bunches regular arugula, stems removed and leaves cut into thirds)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesean cheese
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add the garlic, and cook for 60 seconds, then add the cream, the zest and juice of 2 of the lemons, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper.  Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 1 tablespoon salt and the pasta and cook al dente according to the directions on the package, about 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Immediately add the cream mixture and cook over medium-low heat for 3 minutes, until the pasta has absorbed most of the sauce.  Pour the hot pasta into a large bowl and add the arugula, Parmesean and tomatoes. Cut the last lemon in half lengthwise (I skipped this step), slice it 1/4-inch thick crosswize, and add a few slices to the pasta.  Toss well, season to taste, and serve hot.