Summer is time for fresh ingredients, only lightly cooked if at all, and bright flavors. Some days, however, I still get a craving for pasta. This recipe is a nice compromise, giving the bright, fresh tastes of season along with the starchy goodness I crave. You can also add fresh chives to this recipe, which adds a nice sharp contrast (best instead of the lime juice) as a garnish. I sometimes add fish sauce to the mix as well, because it is great stuff.
The key with this dish is to use the best fruit possible, and cook the fruit for as little time as you can (it should still be cold in the middle). And do not even THINK about using ‘lite’ coconut milk.
Whole wheat pasta (fusili is nice)
Cut up fruit (today I used pineapple, honeydew, cantaloupe, watermelon and muscadine grapes)
Coconut milk
Cardamom
Anise seed
Cinnamon
Vanilla extract (real, not imitation)
Allspice
Sesame oil
Lime juice
While your pasta is boiling, mix the coconut milk with pinches – as much as you like – of the spices (ground up) EXCEPT THE ALLSPICE, and a splash each of vanilla and sesame oil. When the pasta is a little bit more al dente than you’d actually want to eat, drain it. Put it back in the pot, along with your fruit, and stir in the sauce mixture. When it cooks down a bit, and starts to be a good alfredo-ish texture, remove from the heat and spoon into serving bowls. Now, add a squirt of lime juice and a few pinches of freshly ground allspice to garnish.