There is something about the sprightliness, the lightly assaultive, somehow-sweet nature of mint that is unlike any other herb. Here, softened by butter and cheese, to which it in turn lends spark, it converts a simple and basic but undeniably heavy combination into an easy but complex pasta dish that can best be described as refreshing.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 4 servings
Ingredients
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 pound cut pasta, such as ziti or penne, or long pasta, such as linguine or spaghetti
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, cut into pieces
About 1/2 cup not-too-finely chopped fresh mint leaves
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Preparation
Step 1
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt. Cook the pasta until it is tender but not mushy. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup of the cooking water.
Step 2
Toss the pasta in a warmed bowl with 2 or 3 tablespoons of the cooking water, the butter, mint, and half the Parmesan. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then serve, passing the remaining Parmesan at the table.
The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.
MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.
