By Mid-September. The factory line had a Thursday-afternoon supervisor shake-up — my line manager since 2019 (a quiet older man named Pete Russo who had been at the factory for thirty-two years) was promoted to plant manager Wednesday and the new line manager (a younger man named Aaron) started Thursday. Aaron is fine. Aaron is not Pete. The transition is the transition.
Cody finished his eighty hours of community service Friday afternoon. Maria Hernandez signed the completion paperwork at the food bank at four PM. He called Mama and me Friday night to report. Mama cried briefly on the kitchen extension. He starts the paid part-time assistant-supervisor position October fifth. He will continue going to the recovery group on North Peoria four nights a week. Probation continues through May 2021 with monthly Marcus check-ins.
Sunday I made parmesan herbed noodles because Saturday had been the long Saturday-shift kind of Saturday and Sunday I had wanted a dinner that took twenty minutes from pot-to-plate. Egg noodles tossed with melted butter, garlic, lemon zest, fresh parsley, fresh basil from the windowsill, and a generous shower of grated parmesan. The dish is the kind of pantry-pasta that has no business being as good as it is. Dustin had three helpings. I had two. The whole pot disappeared.
Mama’s Wednesday call was the small mid-week anchor. She talked through the cafe’s small breakfast-and-lunch numbers, the small Cody-news, the small Aunt-Linda update. The cafe is in its small steady-state rhythm. Cody is at the small operational-lead for the lunch-and-dinner rotation. Mama is on the small breakfast-and-brunch shifts. The small Sapulpa-cafe-life continues the way it has been continuing for years.
The technique-detail I always lean on: the rest at room temperature for at least twenty minutes before the small final cooking step. The rest gives the small protein-or-dough time to relax into its small final-form. Skip the rest and the texture goes wrong. Honor the rest and the texture honors you back.
Parmesan Herbed Noodles
Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 20 minutes | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 12 oz wide egg noodles
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for pasta water
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 1/4 cup reserved pasta water
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the noodles. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook egg noodles according to package directions until just al dente. Before draining, reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water. Drain and set aside.
- Build the herb butter. In the same pot or a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add minced garlic and cook for 1—2 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant but not browned.
- Add the herbs. Stir in thyme, parsley, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 30 seconds until the herbs bloom in the butter.
- Toss the noodles. Return the drained noodles to the pot. Add the reserved pasta water a little at a time, tossing to coat the noodles evenly in the herb butter.
- Finish with Parmesan. Remove from heat and stir in the grated Parmesan until melted and creamy. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve. Dish into bowls and top with extra Parmesan and fresh parsley if desired. Serve immediately.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 410 | Protein: 14g | Fat: 13g | Carbs: 58g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 420mg