I had almost forgotten about the Dan Armstrong/Oscar Cozy Mysteries until my friend Cam posted a review of 3 books of the series, reminding me that I had fallen behind. So I ordered Murder in Portofino, the 8th in the series, published in August 2024.
This novel picks up with Dan (and Oscar) struggling to juggle work and their newly moved in girlfriend who deserves and desires to be placed ahead of work. Dan takes her on a long weekend to Portofino for a quiet getaway, having spent an inordinate amount of time on his last case.
Of course, Dan and Oscar, stumble upon a murder and soon become invaluable to the investigating officers. Anna is a good sport, makes the best of their trip, and then returns home without Dan and Oscar who need to solve this murder before they can leave. Which they of course do in no time flat and with great success.
As always, there is a ton of food in the novel, and I wanted to showcase Portofino, which I will be visiting this fall. I made a Pasta Portofino that combines both pesto and tomatoes. I served it up on a Meatless Monday, and we talked about all the sights we hope to see on our trip to Italy in September.
I opened a bottle of wine from the Italian Alps to serve with this dish. Portofino is nestled between the Ligurian Sea and two mountain ranges, the Apennines and the Alps. I loved this wine and the pairing. I will share more about the wines of the Italian Alps in a couple of weeks, so stay tuned.
Tonight we are going out to dinner with Friends at Host, a restaurant that invites Chefs to come and stay for a while and cook their specialties for a month or two. The Chef this month is from Germany. The rest of the week is pretty quiet. Here is what I am serving up for dinner each night.....
Saturday
Out with Friends
Sunday Supper
Honey Mustard Chicken
Asparagus Farro
Meatless Monday
Taco Tuesday
Refried Beans
Mexican Rice
Wok Wednesday
Steamed Rice
Thursday
Out for dinner before Choir
Fish Friday
Yield: 3 servings
Pasta Portotfino
Pasta tossed in a savory tomato pesto sauce.
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 30 Min
Ingredients
- 8 oz. pasta of choice (I used spaghetti)
- 2 handfuls basil leaves
- 1 handful pinenuts
- 2 handfuls shredded parmesan cheese
- large pinch kosher salt
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled, divided
- extra virgin olive oil
- 12 oz. cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Place the basil, pine nuts, cheese, large pinch of salt, and 2 of the garlic cloves into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse 3-4 times, then turn on and drizzle in olive oil until a loose paste is made. Pour into a small bowl and set aside.
- Heat a Tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet, add the remaining garlic and cook until starting to brown. Remove the garlic cloves and add the cherry tomatoes to the pan. Cook until softened.
- Add the canned tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened.
- While sauce is cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook per package directions. When there is a few minutes pasta cooking time remaining, stir a few Tablespoons of the pesto into the sauce. Reserve remaining pesto for another purpose.
- When the pasta is cooked, al dente, use a slotted spoon or spider to remove the pasta from the water and place into the sauce. Toss to coat and divide between 3 pasta bowls. Garnish with additional parmesan cheese and serve.
Notes
Adapted from a recipe found in The Pasta Project
Nutrition Facts
Calories
397Fat (grams)
7 gSat. Fat (grams)
1 gCarbs (grams)
72 gFiber (grams)
6 gNet carbs
66 gSugar (grams)
11 gProtein (grams)
14 gSodium (milligrams)
287 mgCholesterol (grams)
0 mg
Property of A Day in the Life on the Farm
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