Brussels Sprouts Pasta

While our friends Jamie, Chria and little miss Clara were visiting, we reminisced over a favorite recipe of theirs. Jamie had shared this recipe with me years ago, and I made it a couple times, to our tummy's delight. But in the last couple years, I couldn't find the page I had the recipe printed on, so it had dropped off my radar.

Jamie was not deterred. She went out to the wonderful "world wide web" (what did we ever do without you, oh beloved internet?!) to search and find the recipe. She also did all the brussels sprout prep the night before, so we had a fast, delicious dinner with good friends, good wine and delicious food after a day of busy sightseeing. Can life get any better? (answer: no!)

Thank you for visiting us, and thank you for this delicious dinner. xoxo.


Brussels Sprouts Pasta
from Alice Waters' Chez Panisse Vegetables

2 tablespoons olive oil + more for drizzling
1 pound Brussels sprouts, stems removed and separated into leaves
1 red onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 pinch hot red pepper flakes
1/2 lemon, juiced
Bread crumbs (optional)
Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)
1 pound/box of pasta (original recipe calls for orecchiette, we used bowties)


Prep your brussels sprouts. (This is the most time consuming part of the original recipe, and will take up to 20 minutes if you chop the bottoms and separate all the brussels sprout leaves, as requested. I prefer to clean and remove the stems, then zap them in a food processor for much faster results. Doesn't give you the same pretty presentation, but tastes just as good.)

Bring water to a boil and cook pasta.

While the pasta is cooking, in a medium-large saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Toss in the sprout leaves, add salt and freshly ground black pepper, and saute for about one minute over high heat. Stir constantly.

Add the onions and the red pepper flakes, and continue to saute until the sprouts are tender and a little browned, 2-5 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the garlic, and toss (I like to add the garlic a little before removing it from heat, so the garlic isn't quite as raw/pungent). Pour lemon juice onto the sprouts.

When the pasta is done, add it, drained, to the saute pan and toss everything together. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Serve drizzled with olive oil (try to use a good olive oil). Toss with toasted bread crumbs or parmesan cheese, if desired. Serves 4.

Brussels sprouts, oh brussels sprouts:
- Brussels Sprouts with White Beans, from Pro Bono Baker
- Creamy Brussels Sprouts Soup, from French Kitchen in America
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts, from FatFree Vegan Kitchen
- Cream-Braised Brussels Sprouts, from Orangette

Guten appetit!