You keep asking for more nightshade-free recipes so here’s another delectable one from the testing and teaching kitchen of Dr. Gloria’s Ecuadorian Kitchen at her Health Sciences & Research Center….
Serves 6 to 8 Prep Time: 10 – 15 minutes Total Time: 50 minutes
1½ pounds asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
8 oz. mushrooms, quartered
1 TB olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 lb. dry quinoa or brown rice/quinoa spaghetti flat noodles
4 large eggs
8 oz. bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces (or use soy or turkey bacon)
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 cup Parmesan, grated
¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
Freshly cracked black pepper
1 TB finely chopped rosemary, thyme and marjoram (fresh or dried)
Himalayan Pink Sea salt, to taste
DIRECTIONS…
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (220 degrees Celsius).
- Place the asparagus and mushrooms on a sheet pan – drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and toss gently to evenly coat.
- Roast the vegetables in the preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until the vegetables start to caramelize, be sure to stir halfway.
- While the vegetables are roasting, bring 6 quarts of generously salted water to a boil. Add the quinoa or pasta, stir, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente (cooked but still a bit chewy). Reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid before draining the pasta.
- While the pasta is cooking, add the bacon (or eliminate for a vegetarian dish or buy vegetarian bacon) to a large sauté pan and cook over medium heat. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until golden and crispy and most of the fat has rendered off. Turn off the heat and drain all but 1 tablespoon of the rendered fat.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, rosemary/thyme/marjoram, Parmesan and a generous amount of the fresh cracked pepper until well-combined.
- Return the sauté pan to medium heat. Add the garlic, and sauté for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Add ¼ cup of the reserved cooking liquid to the sauté pan. Toss in the spaghetti and heat for a few minutes until the bubbling has subsided and much of the water has evaporated.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the egg mixture to the pasta while quickly stirring. Continue stirring until the egg mixture has thickened, adding additional cooking liquid if the sauce is too thick.
- Season with black pepper and sea salt to taste. Gently toss the spaghetti with the roasted asparagus, mushrooms, and the chopped parsley and serve immediately. Garnish with additional Parmesan cheese and parsley, if desired.
NOTE…
Stirring while mixing the eggs and pasta is very important! If the pasta and eggs are not mixed quickly enough, the eggs will scramble and the sauce won’t be creamy.
From my test/teaching kitchen in Cotacachi, Ecuador, S.A….
Buen Provecho,
Dr. Gloria