Spring Soiree with Buitoni

"It is only when you start to garden, that you realize something important happense every day. - Geoffrey B. Charlesworth.
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I found this quote from My French Kitchen. It spoke to me. It's always fun to find a new blog that speaks to you!

As my yard turned pretty in pink and white, my thoughts turned to a spring soiree. As pretentious as that sounds!

Spring blooms are fleeting. All the more reason to savor. Do you notice that I always have an excuse to eat? "The tulips are up! Celebrate! Let's feast!"

And feast we did. The appetizers can be found here. And here. I had some carnivores and a vegetarian over. Having been inspired by Marie at Proud Italian Cook to make gremolata last week, I decided to do the gremolata again - but over grilled chicken. Not all guests loved fish. (Don't you love a challenge? A vegetarian, a non-fish eater, a diabetic and one allergic to goat cheese - which I served - hence the variety.)

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If I was Laura Schenone, I would have made my ravioli. But my Easter attempts were less than stellar. So Buitoni made them for me. Buitoni's tortellini has long been a mainstay in my home. One of the first dishes my kids learned to make when they were in grade school was with tortellini. In the winter: Add Buitoni tortellini to a rich chicken broth. Swirl in some spinach and serve (with freshly grated Parmesan of course). In the summer, take out Mom's pesto. Bring to room temperature. Boil tortellini, top with pesto and serve.

As part of the Tastemaker Program at Foodbuzz, I was given a coupon to try Buitoni's Riserva's pastas - specifically Quattro Formaggi Agnolotti. Soft, billowy pockets stuffed with whipped ricotta, fontina, Parmesan, Grana Padano and a touch of roasted garlic of course. I had my vegetarian entre! I bought four of them (to serve 7).

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I paired it with a young wine - a Veridicchio - crisp with an acid finish, it would offset the gentle, mellow flavors of the Agnolotti. And complement the pesto and vegetables I served it with. It also was a slightly tart accompaniment to the gremolata. Verdicchio is also highly affordable for a crowd. Most bottles run in the $10 dollar range.

For the red wine offering, I went with a Malbec. I have fallen in love with this mellow Argentinian red wine. Malbec is very smooth - almost buttery. Deep enough to pair with cheeses, pasta and chicken and the wine is fruity but dry as a young Bordeaux.
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This recipe is an approximation from a class I took years ago. I play with the vegetables, sometimes add feta cheese, sometimes add shrimp and sometimes add sun-dried tomatoes. For the dinner, I stayed with the non-fussy pesto and just added string beans and carrots.

I par-boiled 2 cups of string beans (haricot verts would be grand here) and cooked 5 carrots (sliced into fat matchsticks) in 1/8 cup of olive oil for six minutes.

Large half moons of soft pasta stuffed with cloud-light cheeses. Who needs a sauce? I gently boiled the plump Agnolotti - you can see how they are generously stuffed. I do appreciate actually tasting the stuffing in stuffed pastas instead of guessing what the small blob is.

Tossed all with pesto. (I do the pesto to taste - start with about 4 cups of packed basil, add 1/4 - 1/2 cup of virgin olive oil - I like my pesto on the creamy side. Then add 1/4 cup (or more) freshly shredded Parmesan, 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts or walnuts, and 2-5 cloves of garlic. Toss in blender and blend. In August, I make a ton of them - cover each small container with a thin layer of olive oil and freeze. When I need one, I pop it out of the freezer and onto my counter and let it come to room temperature. I never heat it. My mother freezes pesto in ice cube trays and pops it into red sauces all winter.

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Many thanks to Foodbuzz and Buitoni for giving me a chance to sample their new luxurious pasta! It took center stage which is always a strong place to be!

The wines also paired well with the Gremolata. We talked of cabbages and kings and theatrical things. Revelations, job losses, plays, surgery, the past, the present and the future. That is what food does best. When you break bread together you share. As you pass the ending treats, you open. The night comes to a close but the windows stay open.