A Simple Pasta with Chicken Broth, Butter & Cheese

 

This Pasta with Chicken Broth, Butter & Cheese that I am sharing with you today is a beautiful example of simple and uncomplicated foods.  Food done well and put together in a most delicious way.

 

These are my favourie kinds of recipes.  I just love them. Its how I like to cook most of the time. I am so done with complications in my life, let alone in my food.

 

There are several things that I always keep in my larder.  One of them is a variety of pasta shapes, from the always popular spaghetti right on down to rice shaped orzo.  

 

 

I love pasta, and would eat it in any way shape or form. My husband, however . . . is not so sure! More for me!

 

He does always eat whatever I put in front of him. He is a fan of pinching the pennies, and so he didn't complain overly much when I served him this. 

 

Plus there was still some Baby Sticky Toffee Pudding Cakes, leftover from the other day for afters. Who can complain about that!

 

Another thing I always keep in my store cupboard is a variety of stock cubes and gel pots.  Chicken, vegetable, beef, ham, lamb, etc.

 

Stock and pasta are the basis of this very simple and yet delicious dish in which pasta is quite simply cooked in a quantity of stock . . .  It doesn't get much easier than this.

 

Cooking the pasta in the stock infuses it with lots of flavour. The starch from the pasta actually serves to thicken the stock somewhat into a sauce,

 

A miracle of chemistry.

 

The knob of butter added at the end doesn't hurt either . . . . just sayin'  You will hear no complaints from me.

Butter, pasta, cheese . . .  all weaknesses.

 

This is one dish where you want to cook the pasta at a slow simmer. To boil it in the stock would mean that too much of the stock would evaporate.

 

You want to keep as much of the stock in the pot as possible for that sauce. A low simmer does the trick perfectly.  

 

As you can see, I had plenty of stock left to ladle over the cooked pasta for the sauce. You don't want it to be overly soupy, but neither do you want it to be dry.

 

I used a very small elbow macaroni for this today, but any small pasta shape works well.  Ditali, orzo, any small pasta shape.

 

You want ideally one that will cook in less then 10 minutes. So make sure you check the package for a cook time.

 

If you use a good stock you shouldn't need any seasoning, other than coarse black pepper.  The stock should be salty enough.

 

Do make sure you use a quality stock however. Most of the flavour of the dish will becoming from that.

 

Me, I always like a good grinding of black pepper on everything. My father is the same. He loves a good lot of pepper on everything.

So much so that I am often aghast at just how much he uses and I wonder at how he can taste anything beyond pepper!

  

Garnished with some freshly grated Parmesan Cheese and a sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley this was a real treat for me. 

 

Comfort in a bowl  . . .  it doesn't get much better than this. Some hot buttered toast on the side goes very well. 

Yield: 2

Author: Marie Rayner

Pasta with Chicken Broth, Butter & Cheese

This is essentially comfort food.  Quick to make and very simple. We enjoy it with slices of hot buttered toast.

ingredients:

• 950ml chicken broth (4 cups)
• 230g small pasta shapes (small macaroni, small shells, orzo, ditali, stilleti, etc.) (2 cups)
• 30g butter (1/4 cup)
• 50g finely grated Parmesan Cheese (1/4 cup)
• coarse pepper
• chopped fresh parsley or basil

instructions:

How to cook Pasta with Chicken Broth, Butter & Cheese

1. Put the chicken stock into a large heavy based saucepan.  Bring to the boil and then stir in the pasta. Reduce immediately to a low simmer. Cook as per pasta package instructions, stirring frequently to prevent it from sticking. Don't be tempted to boil it as you will most definitely run out of stock. This is meant to be cooked at a very slow simmer.  Once the pasta is cooked, remove from the heat and stir in the butter.  Grind some pepper into the pot and stir.
2. Using a slotted spoon, scoop out the pasta to two heated bowls.  Ladle any stock left in the saucepan over each, dividing it equally.  Sprinkle each with half the cheese and a spoonful of chopped herbs. Serve immediately.

Created using The Recipes Generator

 

It is the simple meals like this that I enjoy most of all.  I have never made it for any more than two people, but if I was going to do so, I would cook it in separate pots.  This really is a delicious doddle! 

This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again! 

  Follow my blog with Bloglovin