Spaghetti W/ “Little Birds” And Olives

Bahan-bahan

• 4 Grilled quail or 2 squab

• 1/2C Olive Oil

• 5 Celery ribs, coarsely chopped

• 6 Garlic cloves, chopped.

• 1/2C Dry red wine

• 1/4C Pitted Olives (Kalamata or other Greek olives)

• 1/2t Sage, chopped (or 1t Thyme)

• Salt & pepper to taste

• 1lbs Spaghetti or pasta of choice

• 1C Hard cheese, freshly grated (Kefalotyri)

• 1/3C Parsley, chopped

Arahan

• Cook spaghetti/pasta according to package directions.

• Cut quail or squab into quarters & set them aside

• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and sauté garlic & celery tile soften.

• Add wine, olives, and sages, bring to a boil and reduce to simmer. Cook until most of liquid has evaporated, roughly 5 minutes.

• Place cooked spaghetti onto each plate, and top with/ quail pieces and a spoonful of sauce. Top with hard cheese & chopped parsley.

• This is what Greek called “Makaronada,” most of the time, means pasta w/ red meat sauce. And it’s very similar to the its Italian cousin, bolognese, and this is just one of its variations.

• Other Makaronda sauces: (1) sauté leeks, olives and olive oil until soften & toss w/ spaghetti & top w/ toasted bread crumbs, (2) sauté scallops, salted fish roe, cream, and simmer until sauce is slightly thicken. Toss w/ spaghetti & fresh chopped basils.

Nota

• Greek olives: Kalamata, Halkidkis, Megaritiki, Throumba, Lianolia Kerkyras. Too confusing? Go to Whole Foods and grab their mixed olives from their olive bar, that works just fine. Cut them in half or 1/3 make it easier & friendly for kids

• Can’t find Kefalotyri? Romano or Parmesan has similar texture & flavor profiles. You can use Pecorino, halloumi, or graviera as well, with a slight taste difference. In short, any hard cheese you can find locally works.

• Even tho it called for “little birds” but a cut up hot Costco chicken will do just fine.