Food Photography and Styling Group Challenge - April {Pasta}
“Me eat little hats, mama!”, Jesse giggled.
This made me grin so big that I didn’t tell him the pasta he’s eating is actually little ears, orecchiette. Pretty close though, as cappelletti pasta looks just about the same. Call it what you want, kiddo! I was just amazed he was eating something with red chili flakes in it. What was our super easy dinner?
Orecchiette with Arugula, Goat Cheese and Sun Dried Tomatoes
How can something that sounds so fancy and looks so pretty have only 5 ingredients?
Obviously, this beautiful orecchiette pasta is where it starts…call it little ears, call it little hats, maybe little…nevermind. Whatever works for you! Boil it up, drain, and let set for a couple minutes to cool off a bit. Look at all that steamy goodness!
Take advantage of the free facial while you wait. Ahhh.
What’s next? I feel like I should make this recipe more complicated to stand up with it’s uber-fancy name. I sauteed the fresh arugula and sun dried tomatoes in a bit of olive oil for a minute with a chopped clove of garlic, salt and pepper. (Garlic doesn’t count as one of the 5 ingredients, I count it as a pantry staple like salt or pepper, obvs!)
Toss the pasta, arugula and sun dried tomatoes in a bowl. Sprinkle in some crumbled goat cheese, throughout. The final super easy step? Sprinkle a bit of red chili flakes all over the top…as much as you’d like!
This is when the magic starts happening. The goat cheese begins to melt slightly and becomes an instant creamy sauce on the pasta, where the sun dried tomatoes and red chili flakes compliment each other beautifully. The arugula adds a perfect peppery bite.
Excuse me while I wipe the drool off my chin.
Orecchiette with Arugula, Goat Cheese and Sun Dried Tomatoes was inspired by a Saveur recipe which uses Rapini (like a broccoli rabe, too bitter for me so arugula was a great replacement).
This month’s challenge for The Inspired Plate (our Bloom food photography and styling group of 14 women across the country) was PASTA and this was a perfect recipe to photograph. It held up well during shooting and was equally delicious when hot or at room temperature. Try it! Love it! Whisper sweet nothings into all of its little ears…
Thanks for stopping by! NOW continue the group circle and check out the incredibly talented Jennifer Grant…an editorial photographer, lover of food, and visual story teller. (or whatever. I like descriptive. and keep clicking our links to see the rest of these amazing photographers.
Jen
April 20th, 2012 at 6:01 am
[...] Please continue on to see what pasta dishes the rest of our group styled and shot, starting with Jennifer Olson | San Luis Obispo, CA Photographer. She’s darn good at making food look [...]
April 20th, 2012 at 6:15 am
YUMMO!! Oh my that looks delicious!! I love your colander and pasta bowl
Beautiful images, Jen!
April 20th, 2012 at 6:58 am
Ah Jen, what a yummy dinner. And yummy light on those shots too! All of your pictures are beautiful. I especially love the 3rd one, I’m partial to the tighter shots and the light on it is Gorgeous! And that lovely wooden bowl, the outer curves just accentuate the curves of the pasta. Well done on this months yummy theme.
April 20th, 2012 at 8:02 am
I am SO adding this to my grocery list. Holy cannoli does it sound and look delicious! I love the steamy strainer shot. Great colors.
April 20th, 2012 at 10:03 am
Jen, I really really love your photographic style and am always inspired by you! You have soo much talent.. I love all these images. Gorgeous photo’s and styling!!!!!!
I LOVE arugula and cook with it all the time. It is so good to see someone else utilizing this herb! And OMG.. every component of this recipe sounds divine!! Especially that melting goat cheese. Definitely a Buon Appetite! We called them little nuns hats when we were growing up. You should have seen my sisters and I trying to make these as kids. My thumb always.. and still to this day makes the dopiest shape orecchiette.
April 20th, 2012 at 1:10 pm
Sweet job! I adore the steam coming off the pasta in the colander and I love the composition of half the wood bowl. Very artistic. Great job.
April 20th, 2012 at 1:41 pm
What a recipe!!! And it has just risen to the top of my must try pile with its delightful flavors. I’m currently obsessing over arugula, though I haven’t cooked it yet. And the cheese? Brilliant!
Stunning photos Jen! And I love the comment about the little hats.
Funny story… a few months ago we had these little hats for dinner and later that evening Liv got the stomach flu and they all came bad. She hasn’t been able to eat these little pastas ever since!
April 23rd, 2012 at 9:36 am
ahhhhh! can. not. wait. to. try. this. recipe!!!! Your images make it look divine. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. and I LOVE that Jesse called it little hats AND that he gobbled it up!!! Rocking awesome. phenomenal, phenomenal job, Jen, as always.
April 25th, 2012 at 12:06 pm
Thank you for all the love and amazing feedback, ladies!!! xoxoxo! Jen