Audio slideshow: Browned butter lends easy, deep flavors to pasta

Posted to: Food and Drink

Packing flavor in pasta takes a little bit of improv. (Associated Press photo)

Audio slideshow: How to pack flavor into your pasta

Recipe for browned butter pasta

Associated Press
© September 7, 2008

By J.M. HIRSCH

Olive oil, salt, pepper and pasta.

Despite the simplicity of the combination, it's an Italian classic that can pack killer flavor with little effort. The key is to use only the very best, very freshest ingredients.

And of course there are all sorts of avenues for improvisation.

Different varieties of pasta are a gimme. But the oil also could be swapped out. Walnut oil would have a pleasantly rich, nutty flavor. Peanut oil (and maybe a hit of hot sauce) would offer an Asian accent.

Gourmet salts, including those blended with herbs, would be nice. A coarse grain or flaked salt added just at the table would offer a satisfying crunch. Likewise, single varietal peppercorns would be a fun way to experiment with flavors.

In this riff on that classic, the salt is provided by the cheese. The olive oil gives way to browned butter, which is rich and smooth. And the peppery bite comes from the unorthodox but wonderfully savory combination of nutmeg and turmeric.

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