Simply Ancient Grains – Fusilli with Tahini Yogurt Sauce and Nigella Seeds
What a beautiful book this is! One of those stunning books that you love to pick up, any time that you have a few minutes, to peruse through the stunningly beautiful pictures and unusual and interesting recipes showcasing, author Maria Speck’s strong passion and deep love for Ancient grains. For the ancient grain novice, this section offers fairly detailed information to get you nice started.
The book’s introduction is so through and something that I strongly recommend that you read, before you move on to following the recipes, it gives you a great insight on what you might want to do next with the book, the landscape of ancient grains and how they will embellish your pantry and of course your daily repertoire.
While many a recipe beckoned, think Minted Barley and Fennel Stew with Marinated Feta (pg 149), or the Irish Soda Bread with Amarant, Cranberries and Rosemary (pg 68), these really were not what I ended up testing. I will confess, despite all the temptations, some of these recipes are indeed a little on the fussy side, at least if like me you are always on the go! This being said, I am sure when the weather is a little cooler, I will try some of these vividly colorful recipes. The book is arranged by meal type and every section is informative and well arranged.
Yes, Maria does have a penchant for beautiful vibrant natural colors and loves to beautifully mesh the sweet and savory making this book option if you are looking for some balance on your table. The recipe that I did eventually try was simple and very intriguingly flavorful. It caught my attention because of its use of nigella seeds, a well loved staple in the Bengali pantry.
I used trio-colored fusilli pasta in my variation, and served this along with tonight’s dinner, the results were absolutely, totally appreciated. The toasted nigella and sesame seed finish is pure magic, and possibly this is really what I loved most about the book, the beautiful artistry in meshing flavors, textures and colors. If you are looking to boost your repertoire of whole grains in your diet, this book will certainly offer a fun and flavorful way to get you started.
This book was provided to me through the Blogging for Books program.
PrintSimply Ancient Grains – Fusilli with Tahini Yogurt Sauce and Nigella Seeds
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
An very flavorful and rich tasting pasta from Simply Ancient Grains, by Maria Speck
Ingredients
Fine Sea Salt12 ounces whole grain fusilli
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
1 or 2 fresh hot red chilies
4 cloves garlic peeled
1 cup plain whole milk yogurt of 2% Greek Yogurt
1 cup low fat sour cream
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons tahini
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 to 2 lemons
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley
Instructions
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add salt as you see fit and then the pasta stirring a few times. Return to a boil with the lid on, uncover and cook at a gentle boil until the pasta is al dente according to the package directions.While the water is coming to a boil, add the sesame, cumin and nigella seeds to a medium skillet over medium heat. Toast, stirring frequently, until the seeds turn fragrant and the sesame becomes golden. 3 to 5 minutes. Immediately scrape the seeds onto the plate.
Cut half of the chile into fine rings and set aside. Add the remaining chili and the garlic to the bowl of a food processor, fitted with the metal blade. Process until minced, scraping down the sides as needed. Add the yogurt and the sour cream and blend until creamy. Add the tahini, lemon juice, salt and process until smooth.
While the paste is cooking, transfer the sauce to a 12-inch skillet. Gently heat over medium-low, stirring occasionally until warmed through, about 5 minutes(do not bring to a boil, as the yogurt will curdle.
To finish, dip a heatproof measuring cup into the pasta pot to reserve 1/4 cup cooking liquid. Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet with the sauce. Add about 1/2 the reserved liquid. Toss vigorously to combine for 1 to 2 minutes, adding a bit more cooking liquid as needed, until you have a creamy sauce. Sprinkle with the seed mixture, chile rings and the parsley. Serve at once, 3.1http://www.spicechronicles.com/simply-ancient-grains-fusilli-with-tahini-yogurt-sauce-and-nigella-seeds/
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