Food for blackheads
I’m a relatively happy person. I’m also relatively easy to please (once you know what I like ). But very few things make me happier than visiting some type of food establishment where the workers actually know what a vegan is.
I am lucky enough to live only a few short blocks from Lexington Pasta - a local producer of homemade pastas. I had never tried their stuff before, so late last week I took a walk over. Their shop is small; when I walked in the front door I stood maybe 6 feet from a large table where two men were rolling out dough and cutting it into strips.
Also, Lana Del Ray was playing in the background. Awesome.
I had a few issues with blackheads on my face but those were solved with a great skincare routine and food.
They greeted me with a cheery hello and I stared half-numbly at the sign. This was the moment. That awkward point where I ask if there’s egg or milk in their product and then have to mumble a half-hearted apology when they tell me “of course” as if I’m an alien with three heads and five tails.
“So do you put egg or milk or anything into all your pastas?” I asked, trying to make my voice sound more curious than hopeful.
“Oh, no, we currently have our shell pasta” (side note: they used some fancy Italian word for it that I can’t remember) “which is vegan. And our tomato basil linguine is also vegan.”
It was like one of those dramatic-TV moments where someone uses the name of someone who seems to be a stranger and suddenly you know they’re in on some secret, that true love has been found, and you subconsciously find yourself jumping from the couch in excitement.
Vegan. They’d said it. I hadn’t. They knew what a vegan was. They knew me.
In a moment of brief jubilee I contemplated buying their entire stock of pasta.
Instead I came out with 3 bags of the shell pasta and 1 of the tomato basil linguine. Each bundle is one serving, and it’s rather pricey, but, hands down worth it.
I made the shell pasta that night – it cooks for literally one minute – and tossed it with olive oil, salt, pepper, fresh basil, fresh garlic, and cherry tomatoes over spinach Brett brought from the farm. I chilled it for a few hours – it was a hot day and I knew neither of us would want a steamy meal. I wish I had pictures. It was absolutely delicious.
If you live anywhere near Lexington Pasta, or any type of place that makes homemade pasta, treat yourself. At least once. Do it.
Just don’t come complaining to me when you’re hooked.
Anyway, here’s what happened to the tomato basil linguine. Also a dead ringer. No need for heavy sauces – just something light to compliment and highlight the flavors.
Fresh Pasta with Garlic Scapes
*4oz fresh pasta *2tblsp garlic scapes *1tblsp olive oil *Dash of pepper *Dash of salt
1.) Cook pasta per directions. Drain and run under cold water, chilling it slightly.
2.) Chop garlic scapes finely. I used 3 scapes, which yielded about 2 tablespoons.
3.) Mix pasta with olive oil, scapes, and salt and pepper to taste.
4.) Chill and serve.
Lexington Pasta recommends cooking for only 2-4 minutes. I like my pasta aldente, so I stuck to the 2 minutes. it was a good decision.
fresh garlic scapes from the farm! you can definitely use regular garlic, it would be just as tasty.
chop chop chop!
mix it all together with salt and pepper to taste.
Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture of it post-mixing, post-chilling. I was too excited to eat it.
Have you ever used fresh pasta? What’s your favorite way to cook it?