Thursday, January 24, 2008

Spaghetti with garlic and spinach and how I love You Tube

Spaghetti with garlic and spinach

Love it. Just love it.

There are loads of interesting things there - music videos (something our stupid MTV hardly ever plays), interviews (I saw a really old one with Duran Duran the other day, so much fun) and food TV shows. I can watch the ones I missed before upgrading my cable TV and also the ones that are not aired here in Brazil. Like bill’s food.

Even though my heart belongs to Gordon Ramsay, there is nothing like watching Bill in the kitchen. The way he cooks – the fact that he smiles all the time is a plus, of course – the music… Not to mention the beautiful kitchen itself, something I totally envy – actually, I envy his house as a whole. And then he goes and serves the food to his wife and daughters… So lovely!

This is the second time I make one of his recipes: the first was the delicious choc banana bread. There are many, many other recipes printed and on the top of my “to try” list. This pasta dish was taken from the delicious. magazine, November 2006 issue.

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This is my entry for the Weekend Herb Blogging, this time hosted by Anna, from the blog Anna’s Cool Finds.

Spaghetti with garlic and spinach

400g spaghetti
1/3 cup (80ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup diced bacon
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
sliced red chilli, to taste – I halved the recipe and used only 1, deseeded
1/3 cup (80ml) white wine
90g spinach – measure without the stems or use baby spinach
salt and freshly ground black pepper
small handful finely chopped parsley
finely grated parmesan cheese, to serve

Cook the spaghetti in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until al dente.
Meanwhile, put the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until almost crispy. Add the garlic and chili and cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, until the garlic is golden. Add the white wine and cook, stirring, for about 20 seconds.
Drain the pasta, add to the frying pan with the spinach. Toss to coat in the sauce until the spinach is wilted. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with the parsley.
Serve with lots of parmesan.

Serves: 4

34 comments:

  1. Pat, lighter pastas like this need lots of garlic. Good after work meal.

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  2. a cup of diced bacon! A woman after my own heart, heh heh :) I would not halve the chili, though! :)

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  3. This recipe looks great! I am going to put it on my list of things to make.

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  4. Every time I go to You Tube I realize how easy it is to get completely lost there -- clicking around, going from one fun video to the next, and all of a sudden you've spent an hour completely entertained -- but completely diverted from work or whatever you were supposed to be doing! So, then, you go to the kitchen and make a dish of this wonderful pasta with spinach and garlic -- and that makes it all right again!

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  5. Looks wonderful! Another thing about Bill Granger: his books have some of the most gorgeous food photographs I've ever seen.

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  6. I obviously don't visit Utube very often because I didn't know you could find cooking shows there!! I'm gonna have to check it out!

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  7. I love YouTube for its instant music videos!! Amazing! Great pasta dish too :)

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  8. Looks perfectly simple and delicious!
    I love spinach in just about anything.

    ...I can't believe you like Duran Duran. Too funny. (I liked John Taylor, myself ...tehehe)

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  9. This looks yummy, Patricia!
    I crack up at You Tube... now, I'll need to use it for more then humorous entertainment!

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  10. This looks so good! I've never even heard of Bill Granger!

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  11. there is not a thing on that ingredient list that i do not love!!! :) it looks fabulous!

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  12. Gordon belongs to me, dang it! Anyway, I digress... Oooh, yes - garlic and spinach, what a delicious combination. I love it...

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  13. It's dinner time here, and I find myself wanting to eat this off the page!

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  14. Love this dish for Presto Pasta Nights! I'll have to look into You Tube a little more..one more place to watch cooking shows!

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  15. Patricia - it's fun that YouTube is getting into the Food TV act! Even little kids are making their own cooking videos. I'd like to come for dinner - spaghetti of any kind is my favorite!

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  16. I'm already spending way too much time online so I think I better not go to YouTube and see the cooking shows! Love the sound of this dish. It's been a long time since I cooked any spaghetti! Need to do it.

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  17. Yum--simple and delicious.

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  18. Patricia, I'd never heard of Bill Granger, so thank you very much for the introduction. I've just been cruising his site and enjoyed it thoroughly. This recipe is wonderful - lots of bacon plus garlic and hot peppers - YUM!

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  19. Peter, it really adds wonderful flavor and smell!

    Mark, I was afraid of the heat. :)

    Robyn, thank you for your visit!

    Lydia, you are so right - it's easy to sort of get lost there. :)

    Hi, sweetie! Thank you!

    Julie, I have some of his books on my wish list, and it's great to know you like them, so now I want to buy them even more! :)

    Deb, I'm sure you'll like the shows there!

    Hillary, thank you, dear!

    Dayna, I LOVE Duran Duran, my friend. And when I was 8 I used to say I'd marry John when I grew up. :)

    Kristen, the recipes are great there!

    Pam, he's fantastic, I think you'll like him!

    MrsPresley, you are right, the ingredients are wonderful!

    Hi, there! So we'll have to fight over him. ;)

    Anna, thank you! I'm glad you like it!

    Bellini, there are lots of interesting things for foodies there!

    T.W., I'll have to search for that, my friend. And you are so welcome to have dinner with us!

    Kalyn, I know, I'm hooked on it, too. :)

    Sally, thank you!

    Laurie, I think he'll like him, his show is great and so are his recipes!

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  20. I love videos, too. It's a great way to kill time! I'm not sure who this Bill is, but I know Gordon.
    A lot of people have a crush on Gordon, but not me. My heart belongs to Anthony Bourdain.

    I love spaghetti, it's so comforting and delicious!!

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  21. hi again Patricia! you tube has been my muse, especially when i want to see '80s videos again. how are you doing?

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  22. Garlic, spinach and bacon, Patricia that's stacking the deck for sure. And then you add pasta! Heavenly! Yes, I like Bill.

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  23. Gosh, I could tell you a funny story or two about Bill...What a gorgoeus lifestyle he has!

    Will see what he's up to on YouTube...

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  24. mmmmm, looks great.I will so try to make this.
    I love Bill, his food is so real and fresh.

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  25. Thanks for leaving a comment! You pasta looks like its to die for. I just love all that cheese on top.
    Those pistachio cakes are really easy to make, you could probably throw it together in under 10 minutes (plus bake time).

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  26. Emiline, I think you'll like Bill.
    I love Gordon - even with all the swearing. :)

    Eliza, hi, my dear! I'm fine and now craving that brownie you made. ;)

    Tanna, he's so cute and the family is cute too. :)

    Lucy, so please tell me?? I'm dying to know... :)

    Paul, you've said it all, my friend.

    Sarah, you have such a beautiful blog, it was great finding you! Tks for visiting too!

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  27. bill granger is great for fresh and simple fare. your spaghetti looks wonderfully light.

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  28. Spaghetti and spinach are a great combination ! I was so addicted to You Tube and found myself on it for hours on end. I limit myself to just maybe 1-2 hours a week so I can return to the kitchen!

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  29. This looks so great. I love simple pastas--especially during the summer when my tiny kitchen turns into a sauna.
    I don't know who Bill is, I'll have to check him out!

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  30. Hi Patricia!!
    I am so glad I found your site! Love the pasta - lovely anytime of the week.

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  31. Hi Patricia!!
    I am so glad I found your site! Love the pasta - lovely anytime of the week.

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  32. I used to be a Duranie. Now I'd rather watch Bill's Food. Oh, how times change!

    This pasta sounds fresh and tasty.

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  33. When I need a comfort food fix, this pasta will do the trick. How did you know?

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