French Fridays with Dorie: Dressy pasta “risotto”

mac and cheese with bacon and leeks on eatlivetravelwite.comHappy New Year! As you read this I am winging my way back to Toronto (and ridiculous sub-zero temperatures) after two wonderful weeks with my mum and dad, extended family and various friends in Sydney and Adelaide. As you’ll have read from my last French Fridays with Dorie post (Gravlax), my mum and dad were participants in the FFWD experience – they got to taste three dishes that I managed to work into the holiday menus as I am wont to do – even if sometimes it’s a little awkward (many of my friends have eaten whole “Dorie” dinners at my house consisting of three or four dishes that may or may not go together depending on the month’s selection of recipes but they are willing taste testers anyway!).

This week’s recipe – dressy pasta “risotto” (p 369) was one that I managed to fit into a New Year’s brunch (we’d had a late dinner the night before and a later dinner reservation that evening so brunch seemed to make sense and instead of the regular bacon and egg-type dishes, I thought that minifying this dish into tiny ramekin-sized portions and adding some leeks and bacon à la one of the “bonnes idées” might just work with a green salad for brunch.  I know my mum was skeptical but it really worked.

Pasta risotto from Around my French Table on eatlivetravelwrite.comIt’s actually nothing to do with “risotto” – rather, its a fancy mac n’ cheese and the only thing vaguely risotto-ish about it is that you add the pasta to the boiling stock and let it simmer until the liquid is absorbed – much like a risotto but not really.  In any case, I substituted Greek yoghurt for mascarpone and added some sautéed bacon and leeks to the mix. It really was very tasty and in the 1/2 cup size serves it was perfect with a tossed green salad as part of a brunch.

I reckon those leftovers in the fridge will taste even better a couple of days later so don’t forget about them, mum!

 

French Fridays with Dorie participants do not publish the recipes on our blogs (though this week, you can find the recipe online here), we prefer if you purchase Around My French Table for yourselves which you can do here on Amazon or Amazon Canada. Or for free worldwide shipping, buy from The Book Depository. Go on, treat yourself then join us here!

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29 thoughts on “French Fridays with Dorie: Dressy pasta “risotto””

  1. Ramekins make any dish automatically cuter. The bacon and leeks bon idee caught my eye, but I ended up reworking with what I had on hand. Either way, I was pleasantly surprised with how much flavor the pasta absorbed.

    Safe travels back home Mardi. I’ve loved seeing your pictures from your visit on Instagram.

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  2. Minifying any dish makes it special, just because. And bacon, well… that just seals the deal.

    Safe travels – I hope Mr. Neil is greeting you with a warm coat and some hot bricks for your feet 🙂

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  3. A perfect brunch dish! I love your additions, and the ramekins look so pretty with the bacon garnish. Yum! Happy New year Mardi!

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  4. I was one of the taste testers and can confirm… for a very tiny dish, it was both filling and really tasty. It’s a lovely brunch dish. And, by the way, preparing the dish made the house smell really nice as well.

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  5. Can’t go wrong adding leeks and bacon! Sorry you’re returning to such cold temps! Two weeks with family sounds wonderful! I’m sure your regular life is welcoming you back though!

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  6. I’m so happy that you’ve had a great trip. Of course that whole hemisphere thing is catching up to you now. When I lived in Australia, at least I was going back and forth to Arizona – but still. A shock!

    So happy that your family enjoyed this recipe. I thought it was really yummy. Served on NYE with some focaccia and champagne. Happy New YEar!

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  7. This looks so yummy! I’ve been thinking that I’d love to join the French Fridays with Dorie, but I’m about to have a baby, so I’ve been putting it off. You guys must be more than halfway done with Around My French Table, right? Are you planning on joining another cooking club afterward? I love reading your posts and seeing what you’re cooking up. : )

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  8. fancy schmancy! 🙂 looks like a lovely meal for you to serve to anyone! 🙂 We have had whole “Dorie” dinners too! LOL, we love those!

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  9. Bacon could only have made this more incredible! I think you may want to head back to Australia…this weather is ridiculous!!! But welcome back anyway 🙂

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  10. I love the idea of subbing the mascarpone with greek yogurt. I’m more likely to make this more often if it’s lightened up a bit. Yours looks so good!

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  11. What a wonderful trip you have had and kudos for keeping up with the FFWD schedule. It is always fun when we can make a dish away from home and even more so when we can share it with loved ones.l The ramekins not only looked adorable but they were a wise way to monitor the serving size of what ended up a wonderfully rich dish. My family loved it and I look forward to repeating it – probably with a bit of bacon the next time !

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  12. You were right about the leftovers. I had some cold, and it was just, if not, more delicious than warm. Jess ( the dog) loved it too!
    Nice to have an in-house chef for two weeks.

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  13. Welcome home. With the temps I’m hearing about on the news, you’re probably already wishing that you had extended your stay down under.

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  14. Happy New Year, Mardi! Glad you could recruit the whole family into taste tasting Dorie recipes on your vacation. Your version sounds terrific with the bacon and leeks.

    Reply

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