Ponte Vecchio Pasta with Parmesan Crisp
Our featured recipe inspired by our travels in Bath England is Ponte Vecchio Pasta with Parmesan Crisp.
The city of Bath England is steeped in Romanesque history. It boasts the world famous Roman Baths Museum. We were also pleased to see the ample amount of Italian cuisine offered by local restaurants in this British city.
Our first dinner in Bath was at the Ponte Vecchio restaurant. The menu boasted a wonderful array of choices. Among our selections, was a pasta dish served with a parmesan crisp. Below is the recipe for our recreation of this meal. This one is rather simple. We made our own sauce and parmesan crisps. All in all, another recreation keeping in the spirit of a dinner enjoyed during our travels. The recipe is portioned for two servings.
INGREDIENTS FOR MARINARA SAUCE
1 28-ounce can San Marzano whole tomatoes, with juices
2 tablespoon olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup onion, finely diced
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or small dried chile finely chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
¾ teaspoon salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
3 sprigs fresh basil
INGREDIENTS FOR PARMESAN CRSIP
½ to 1 cup grated parmesan cheese (using largest holes on a box grater)
Thyme (optional)
Black pepper (optional)
INGREDIENTS FOR PASTA
8 ounces fusilli pasta
Parmesan cheese, extra for grating on top of served pasta
Paprika for garnish
DIRECTIONS FOR MARINARA SAUCE
Place a large skillet over medium heat and warm the oil. When it is hot, add the onions. Sauté for 5 minutes. Next, add the garlic and crushed red pepper flakes. Continue to sauté for another 2 minutes. Stir frequently.
Pour the tomatoes into a bowl and crush them with your hands. Add the tomatoes, oregano, salt and pepper to the skillet. As the sauce heats, stir in the basil sprigs.
Once the sauce reaches a simmer, continue to simmer it over a medium low heat for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
DIRECTIONS FOR PARMESAN CRISP
Preheat oven to 400°F
Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper
Mix thyme or black pepper into the grated cheese if using either of the optional ingredients. Add heaping tablespoons of the grated cheese to the baking tray. Lightly spread each pile to become a thin circle about 2 to 3 inches in diameter. Repeat until you have used all of the cheese, leaving a space between each cheese round.
Bake for 3 to 5 minutes. The cheese should be melted, bubbling and light golden brown.
Let the crisps cool a minute, then slip a thin spatula or dinner knife underneath each one and remove to a rack to cool completely before serving. Let the rounds cool before removing from the baking tray.
DIRECTIONS FOR PASTA
Prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta once done. Mix the pasta with the marinara sauce. To serve, top with grated parmesan cheese. Garnish the plate with paprika. Serve with one or more sides of the parmesan crisp.
SERVING RECOMMENDATIONS
This dish would be well accompanied with a nice glass of wine or an Aperol Spritz.
OUR RECREATION OF PONTE VECCHIO PASTA
