A craving satisfied & An inspired Pumpkin Punch

When I saw Syrie's pasta post in January, my mind quickly turned to Jamie Oliver's Spaghetti with Anchovies, Dried Chilli and Pangritata recipe that I had bookmarked years ago (The Return of the Naked Chef). Though I love pasta, I don't make it often and when I do, I like it to be exceptional, which in my case means simple with a few quality ingredients. I prefer pasta dishes that are not heavily sauced, so this recipe suited me just fine.

See Syrie's recipe to make this dish for two. However, for the pangritata and shrimp, here's what to do.

PANGRITATA

Ingredients

3 - 4 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or parsley
1 clove garlic, chopped
Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Add the oil to a fry pan and heat gently
2. Add the breadcrumbs, thyme, and garlic. Toss to mix and let toast until crisp gently browned (or to your desire). Season with salt and pepper and spread on paper towels until ready to use
3. Sprinkle liberally over the dish and serve

Note: do not turn away while the breadcrumbs are toasting, it cooks and browns in very little time. Ensure that you are toasting with gentle heat.

PAN-SEARED SHRIMP

Ingredients

6 jumbo shrimp, clean and de-veined
2 tablespoons oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Season shrimp with salt and pepper to taste
2. Heat pan on medium heat and add oil
3. Add shrimp and let cook for 1 + 1/2 minute on one side. Flip and cook for another 1 + 1/2 minute on the other side
4. Remove from pan and set aside
5. Add to pasta when ready to serve

Here are some other pasta dishes you may like to try: Kit's Chow, Tigerfish, Cinnamon Girl & Soup Belly.

Now about this Pumpkin Punch. My good friend Felix is always showcasing what I like to call real food. It's everyday food that is nutritious and it's food that lies at the heart of good homecooking. So, today I offer you two versions of pumpkin punch, you can make it Felix's way or my way. The main differences are: he cooked his pumpkin, I didn't. He added sugar, milk and condensed milk, I only added condensed milk which did dual duty for me - added the creaminess of milk and the sugar to sweeten.

For my recipe, see this week's column. And for Felix's recipe, click here.