Make Time For Dinner: Healthy Pasta "Cream" Sauce

I didn't expect to like this as much as I did, and I certainly didn't expect my husband to go for seconds (or whatever you call cleaning the pot). I wanted to make pasta with peas and prosciutto, but every recipe I could find called for heavy cream or creme fraiche (neither of which I had). I did have Greek-style whole milk yogurt, and remembered a recipe I had read recently for Farfalle with Yogurt and Zucchini. I figured that I could substitute peas for the zucchini and Orecchiette for the Farfalle. I swear you would never know you were eating a yogurt sauce - it was so good! Plus it's a healthier alternative to heavy cream.
Here is the original recipe and then my variation:

Farfalle with Yogurt and Zucchini - From On Top of Spaghetti by Johanne Killeen & George Germon (as reprinted in Food & Wine's Best of the Best, Vol.10)

(4-6 servings)

1 lb Farfalle
4 med. Zucchini, coarsely shredded
4 tbsps unsalted butter
1 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Grated nutmeg
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

In a large pot of boiling water, cook the pasta until al dente; about one minute before the pasta is done, add the shredded zucchini to the pot. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water.
Meanwhile, in a large, deep skillet, melt the butter. Remove from the heat. Stir in the yogurt and the cup of grated cheese and season with nutmeg, salt and pepper.
Add the pasta, zucchini and reserved pasta cooking water to the saucepan and cook over low heat, tossing, until the sauce coats the pasta. Transfer to bowls and eat.

Orecchiette with Yogurt, Peas and Prosciutto Variation
Substitute frozen peas for the zucchini (add to boiling pasta during the last 2 minutes of the pasta's cooking time).
Add small strips of Prosciutto to the pasta, peas and sauce before serving.

Enjoy!

Pot Sticker Dumplings from Mad Hungry

I treated myself to Lucinda Scala Quinn's Mad Hungry cookbook for Christmas, and tried this recipe last night.  So easy, tasty and cheap!  No reason to buy the frozen variety again.  (I didn't make the sauce last night - instead I used soy sauce - but I will try it out next time.)

Makes 36 dumplings

• SOY-VINEGAR DIPPING SAUCE
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 whole scallion, trimmed and sliced
• 1 hot green chili, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons water
• DUMPLINGS
• 1/2 pound ground turkey, chicken, or pork (if using poultry, add 1 teaspoon peanut oil to the mixture)
• 1 cup finely chopped bok choy
• 1/2 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 large egg white
• 36 dumpling wrappers
• Peanut oil, for frying

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine all ingredients for the dipping sauce. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the turkey, bok choy, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, and salt. Stir in the egg white.
3. Working with 6 at a time, lay down the dumpling wrappers on a work surface. Spoon 1 teaspoon of filling onto each one. Lightly wet the edge of each wrapper with water. Fold the dough over and pinch around the edges. This is easiest done by picking up each dumpling and pinching around the edges with thumb and forefinger. Place on a baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap to keep the dumplings from drying out. Repeat until all filling is used. (Freeze any dumplings that will not be cooked immediately. After they are frozen, transfer them to a resealable plastic bag or wrap in plastic.)
4. To cook the dumplings, heat a large skillet and swirl some oil around to coat the pan. Add a single layer of pot stickers. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes (2 minutes longer if frozen), until they begin to turn golden on the underside. Don't move them. Add 1/4 cup of water to the pan and cover immediately. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the meat is cooked through and the dumplings release from the pan. Serve immediately with the dipping sauce.

From Mad Hungry, November 2010

See the video demonstration at: Pot Sticker Dumplings and Soy Vinegar Sauce - Martha Stewart Recipes