Woody Allen and a Quick Pasta Lunch

"It is impossible to travel faster than the speed of light, and certainly not desirable, as one's hat keeps blowing off."

Woody Allen is so funny.  He does have a sense of the absurd.  And he has used hats as major props in many of his movies, the most famous hat was on the head of "Annie Hall". La de dah! 

You don't need to travel faster than the speed of light to cook a quick lunch.  That is why we have pasta.  I finally found a brown rice pasta that I like and if cooked properly the texture is very close to wheat. Brown rice pasta has a sweet flavor, so the taste is satisfying.

Pasta Lunch

serves 2 people

8 oz. brown rice fusilli pasta (Trader Joe's brand)
olive oil
2 medium zucchini, cut into 2" sticks
1 tsp. thyme leaves
2 tbs. goat cheese
grating of fresh parmagiano-reggiano


Bring a pot of water to a boil, add salt and a little olive oil.  Stir in the pasta, when it comes back to the boil turn down the heat to a high simmer.  You want to cook it gently and stir every couple of minutes.  Under cook the pasta, 6-8 minutes, it should be chewy in the middle.  Check it every minute after 6 minutes.


While the pasta is cooking, saute the zucchini in olive oil, a pinch of salt and add the thyme leaves.  Cook until lightly browned.  Drain the pasta reserving 1/2 cup of the water.  Return the pasta to the pot and drizzle with olive oil, add the cooked zucchini and the goat cheese.  Turn the heat back on low and stir in the reserved water to make a sauce.  Serve with freshly grated parmagiano-reggiano, a squeeze of lemon and a little sea salt.


For a refreshing little side salad, supreme an orange, reserving any juice and mix with 1/4 of a fennel bulb that has been thinly sliced on a mandolin.  Pour the juice, and 1 tsp. of rice vinegar over the salad.  Sprinkle on a little sea salt and some chopped fennel fronds.

I never get tired of this quick lunch...

To see the latest collection of Zazu & Violets' hats, please visit our on-line Etsy shop.