Spaghetti with Peppers

There are many different theories on where and when spaghetti was invented. Popular history says that it was invented in China, and that Marco Polo brought the knowledge of this food to Venice. The spaghetti, Polo encountered (and presumably tasted) in the far east was made from either rice flour or hard wheat flour (long noodles made from both grains exist in eastern cookery). It is generally accepted that the variety of durum wheat known in Sicily during the Middle Ages was, like lemons and oranges, introduced by the Arabs. And that brings us to the pivotal part of the story.

Early in 1154, shortly before the death of Sicily's monarch, King Roger II, and about a century before the birth of Marco Polo, a court chronicler and geographer named Abu Abdullah Mohammed al Edrisi (or Idrisi) completed a detailed geographical survey of Sicily. The content of the resulting opus, known to us as The Book of Roger, encompassed not only Sicily but other regions as well. A casual observation in the Book of Roger mentions that in the Sicilian town of Trabia the inhabitants made a form of pasta from hard wheat, and that this product, shaped into long strands, was manufactured in large quantity for export to other regions. click here to know more about spaghetti.

Ingredients:

Spaghetti - 8 ounces, cooked in salt water and drained
Garlic - 2 tbsp minced
Olive or vegetable oil - 2 tbsp
Green pepper - 1/2 medium, thin strips
Yellow pepper - 1/2 medium, thin strips
Red pepper - 1/2 medium, thin strips
Spinach - 1 cup
Black pepper * - 1/4 tsp
Parsley - 1/2 Tbsp chopped
Salt *

Directions:

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic, cook and stir for 30 seconds. Add green, yellow, red peppers, black pepper and pinch of salt. Cook by stirring frequently until the vegetables are tender. Add pasta and parsley stir gently to combine all the ingredients. If you need more black pepper add it and toss well and cook for a minute in a low heat.

Sending this to Presto Pasta Nights,this week hosted by Daphne.

Avocado and Pasta soup

The avocado is very popular in vegetarian cuisine, making an excellent substitute for meats in sandwiches and salads because of its high fat content. The fruit is not sweet, but fatty, distinctly yet subtly flavored, and of smooth, almost creamy texture. About 75% of an avocado's calories come from fat, most of which is monounsaturated fat. Avocados also have 60% more potassium than bananas. They are rich in B vitamins, as well as vitamin E and vitamin K. They have the highest fiber content of any fruit - including 75% insoluble and 25% soluble fiber. If you like to Know more about avocado click here.

Ingredients

Avocado - 1 ,peeled,seeded
Lemon juice - 1 tsp
Red onion - 1/2 cup,sliced
Soy bean - 1/4 cup,cooked with salt
Pasta(messe penne) - 3/4 cup,cooked with salt
Tomato - 1/4 cup,chopped
Black Pepper - 1 tsp,powder
Oil - 2 tsp
Salt *

Directions

Heat the oil in skillet, add onion and saute until it turns translucent. Add the tomatoes and saute until it becomes tender.Add the pasta,soy bean and pepper and let it cook for 5 - 8 minutes in medium flame. Mash the avocado with lemon juice and mix with the cooked pasta and soy bean mixture, bring to boil and remove from heat. If you like the creamy(thick) soup add 2 tsp of corn flour before adding avocado.