Food Saturday

Many years ago, like, when Reagan, Mulroney and Thatcher were in power, my sister made a dish that starred capellini pasta in a cantaloup sauce.

Years after that, like when Chretien and Clinton (or was it Bush I?)were in power, and I was just beginning my cooking journey,  I made the dish myself and have been making it on and off for a few years now.

I don't know the origins of this sauce but it's fantastic.

If you want to try this dish you will need at its most basic:

Mangos. Joking. Cantaloup (duh). Depending how many people you cook for, one is sufficient for four servings. I use Tuscan cantaloups because they're generally sweeter and juicier thus quicker to cook

Capellini pasta. One package should be enough. You'll adjust what you need as you try the dish a few times.

Butter. 2 to 4 tablespoons.


Cooking cream. 1/2 a cup.

Pargmiggiano-Reggiano - 1/4 to 1/2 depending on amount made and love of cheese.DON'T use knock-off cheeses like Kraft Parmesan. It may be more expensive (lots more) but invest and buy the real stuff.

Fresh pepper.

Optional (recommended):

Fresh shallots (1/4 to 1/2 a cup) and pancetta (Italian bacon). Or, if you're creative and know how to mix things up, you can try Prosciutto di Parma instead of the pancetta but it will cost you - real prosciutto commands roughly one dollar per slice. And you'll need 1/4 or 1/3 and up to 1/2 of a cup - call it, say, 10 slices or so of either cold cut you choose.

I'm not married to capellini either. I've used spaghettini and spaghetti. Never used my favorite - bucatini - though. I think it would be too thick a pasta for such a delicate sauce. Don't like shallots? Try a vidalia onion; or any other sweet onion.

As for the cream, I've tried 15% and 35%. I've settled on 15%.

Just to give an idea, here's another variation of it.

Another here with tomatoes and linguine.

This one uses gorgonzola cheese.

Basically, melt have of the portion of butter in a pan. Add the shallots and pancetta (if used and in whatever variation) and cook for a few minutes until the pancetta starts to get crispy.  Add the cantaloup and cook for about 10 minutes until it becomes soft. Add the cream and parmiggiano and remove until have of it has been dissipated.

Take the pasta, leave a little water after you drain it and combine with sauce.

Keep in mind, this should be a simple sauce if you ask me. Don't go overboard adding all sorts of things.