I had gotten bored with my usual approach to a very handy staple we’ve enjoyed so often, and I wanted to better identify the artichoke flavor, so I tried introducing this store-bought ravioli to some new things. Also, I really didn’t have any tomatoes.
- one sliced garlic scape from Berried Treasuress Farm heated in a little olive oil inside a large antique copper pot until pungent and partly softened, then a small yellow grenada seasoning pepper and a very small green aji dulce pepper, both from Eckerton Hill Farm, neither of them hot, both thinly sliced, added and stirred for a minute, then a 10-ounce package of Rana artichoke-filled ravioli from Eataly Flatiron that had been boiled for barely 3 minutes and drained before some of the cooking water was reserved, was tossed into the pot and carefully stirred with the rest of its contents, also adding over half a cup of the reserved pasta water, over medium-high heat until the liquid had emulsified, then ten or so pitted kalamata olives and some chopped peppermint from S. & S.O. Produce tossed in and the mix stirred before being arranged inside 2 shallow bowls, more mint and some pea shoots from Lani’s Farm tossed on top, olive oil poured around the edges of the pasta
There was a small cheese course, but it didn’t manage to get photographed.
- a bit of Coach Farms fresh goat cheese (the package had been in the refrigerator for some time, having been purchased for exactly the eventuality in which it saw use last night: a bite to extend a meal that would otherwise have been too small), on a plate sprinkled with a little freshly-ground black pepper and some chopped dill fronds
- thin toasts from small slices of a Bread Alone miche that had been in the bread box for a few days
- the wine was a California (Clarksburg) white, Karen Birmingham Clarksburg Pinot Grigio 2017, from Naked Wines
- the music throughout was four Bach and Mozart works for small ensemble, performed by the Haydn Sinfonietta Wien