Saffron Butter Pasta
Saffron is a spice that is widely used across the Middle East, Iranian saffron being the best in the world in my opinion. It has a very strong flavor and I thought it would go quite well with a creamy pasta. Strong enough that you can taste it but subtle enough to let other aspects of the dish shine. I took the basic aspects of a creamy butter pasta, added some garlic and shallot, and finally some saffron, and you have yourself a new pasta full of flavor. Very simple and straightforward I hope you try it out!
Serves: 2
Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
1 pack Pappardelle Pasta
1 tsp Saffron Threads
1 Shallot
3 Garlic Cloves
1 tsp Red Pepper
1 cup Heavy Cream
0.25 cup Parmesano Reggiano
Fresh Basil (Garnish)
Ingredients
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Place 1 tsp of saffron threads to a small bowl and gently crush. Pour a 0.25 cup of boiling water on the saffron threads and set aside to steep. Finely dice the shallot and garlic cloves and set aside.
Heat a large skillet on high heat for a couple minutes then drop to medium. Add the unsalted butter. When it begins to bubble add the shallot and red pepper and saute until it softens. Then add garlic and saute until fragrant.
Add the steeped saffron and the heavy cream. Bring to a light simmer stirring often.
Season the boiling water with a generous amount of salt and drop in the pasta. Allow it to cook according to packet instructions. Then reserve 0.25 cup of the pasta water and strain the rest. Place the pasta, pasta water, and olive oil in the skillet and mix well. Once the sauce thickens slightly add some freshly grated parmesan and mix in.
Plate and garnish with fresh basil, parmesan, and Aleppo pepper.
