Fusilli with Garlic, Mint and Cream

I was home alone yesterday & I did not know what to cook for dinner just for me. So I went to the kitchen, opened the fridge & found double cream (whose expiry was about to get over & I had to use it before that), few herbs & few other vegetables (which I did not want to touch). Then I went to my pasta cupboard (Yes...I keep all kinds of Pasta just to prove myself, how much I love Italian ;).

So I picked up "Fusilli", which is a long, thick, corkscrew shaped pasta & ended up making a quicky 15 min Italian dinner and relished alone....:)

Ingredients:

• 300 gm Fusilli (or any other pasta you like)
• 2-3 cloves of Garlic (finely chopped)
• 150 ml of double cream
• 1 tbsp fresh mint (finely chopped)
• 2 tsp of parmesan cheese (grated)
• 1 tsp of extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper for seasoning

Optional:-

• 1 carrot (julienne slices/thin strips)
• handful of beans (tips chopped)

Method:

1. Bring water to boil in a saucepan & add the fusilli & let it cook for 8-10 min. Add some salt and a bit of oil into the water. If you want, put the carrots & beans too in the boiling water with the pasta.
2. Drain the cooked pasta. If you have put the carrots & beans, pick alone the boiled beans and keep it separately.
3. In a saucepan, pour the EV oil & roast the chopped garlic for a minute. Then tip the pasta into it & pour the cream, mint leaves & toss everything together.
4. Season the pasta with salt & pepper and sprinkle on some parmesan cheese. Serve hot & with the boiled beans on the side.

Alternative Method:

• 140 gm of Ricotta cheese

1. Beat the ricotta, roasted garlic, cream & chopped mint together in a bowl until smooth. Then pour the cheese mixture to the cooked pasta and toss together.