Pasta Fit for the Easter Bunny

The calendar might say spring, but the cool weather will not let go here in Maine.
There still piles of snow at the end of my driveway and a cold breeze coming of the water.
Go ahead. Feel sorry for me.
I feel sorry for little Maine girls at Easter time. Every where else girls are dressed in sweet little outfits with shiny white shoes and a pastel cardigan.
More often than not, little girls here have to throw a ski jacket on over their dresses, (which are worn with boots and tight, not mary janes) when hunting for eggs  - in the mud.
Yeah. It's that rough.

The Easter Bunny needs a lot of sustenance when making the rounds in Maine.
I think this simple pasta dish will do the trick. It's creamy and carroty. It's also a cinch to make and nice change from the typical pasta/veggie dish. It would also be delicious with asparagus, which I will try the next time.
The EB will love this dish so much, I'm sure he'll leave me many, many chocolate-coconut eggs.



Pasta with Carrots, Risotto-Style
Saveur.com


8 cups low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock

5 Tbsps. butter

1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped

1 lb. gemelli pasta, uncooked

8 medium carrots, peeled, trimmed and diced

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

salt and freshly ground pepper

14/ cup fresh parsley, chopped

Bring stock to boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat to low to keep stock hot.

Melt 4 Tbsps. of the butter in a medium heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon until they begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Add uncooked pasta and carrots, stirring often, until pasta is lightly toasted, about 5 minutes.

Add one cup of the stock at a time to the pasta, stirring constantly; wait until almost all the stock has been absorbed before adding more. Continue cooking, stirring and adding stock (you may have some left over) until pasta is tender but still firm to the bite, about 15 minutes. It's important to taste as you go so as not to overcook.

Remove pot from the heat and stir in remaining tablespoon of butter, the Parmesan and parsley. Salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a warm serving dish, or serve from the pot.