When I served this, I had to call it Pappardalle (that's the flat noodle that's about three times as wide as fettuccine) with pancetta, parmesan cheese, pine nuts, and at the very end and almost under my breath, speedspeak "Brussels sprouts." But truth be told, there are far more Brussels sprouts in this dish than any of the other ingredients, but I could not let on to that fact.
Why? Why did I have to hide the fact that there were Brussels sprouts in this dish? Why is there such a stigma of ew-nasty, even amongst adults, with these glorious tiny globes? Why? Because when Brussels sprouts are cooked badly, they become very bitter. Why? Because they're often, but not always, served naked, which means if they are cooked badly, there's nothing like cheese to hide Brussels sprouts' bitterness.
Be nice to the sprouts of Brussels. Don't neglect them in the steamer basket; cook them only until just tender-crisp. Slice them carefully so they dont fall apart into a million shredded leaves. Saute them in good olive oil, and give them some good friends like sliced pancetta (or bacon), chopped garlic, and al dente pappardalle to play with in the pan and on the plate. Shower them with toasted pine nuts. And if you really want to love your Brussels sprouts, make them pretty with generous shavings of Parmesan cheese.
If you love the Brussels sprouts, they'll love you back, too. I promise.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
1-07-2006 @ 2:31PM
sarah gilbert said...
oh, I'm drooling into my laptop... this looks amazing! I can't wait to try it.
Reply
1-07-2006 @ 3:18PM
becky said...
my favorite way to make brussel sprouts is roasted with a bit of olive oil and slivered almonds and then drizzled with honey and lemon.
Reply
1-07-2006 @ 5:12PM
Ed said...
Looks good. Our favorite preparation is to blanch and then saute with garlic and pine nuts, and then top with crumbled bacon.
Yum.
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