Dinner for 2: Lemony Fettuccini with Peas

(and Choco-Hazelnut Mini Cakes)

Hi friends! A sunny hello from Southern California. I’m so glad you are here with me each Friday to chat about California Cuisine. Welcome to new subscribers!

This month we’ve enjoyed some delicious Dinner for 2 meals including Dirty Martini Steak Frites, Chicken with Orange and Shallot, and Baja Seafood Bake with Mango Salsa. Some weeks featured cocktails and others included a dessert just for two.

Today is the last installment of our Dinner for 2 series and it’s a good one! I mean, pasta and a chocolate dessert? Who doesn’t love that? Plus, both are dairy-free.

Coming in March: Weekly Menu Plans

Yes, the Weekly Menu Plans are back! We cooked our way through month-long menu plans last spring and fall and I’m happy to say we are doing it again.

Here’s how it works:

• Menu plans are released each Friday in March.

• There are three dinner recipes per week. This leaves you some flexibility for leftovers, dinners out, and no-cook evenings.

• Each week will feature a SoCal-inspired pizza!

• Downloadable recipes and shopping lists.

• Free subscribers have access to 3 menu plans.

• Paid and Founding subscribers get them all (including last year’s menu plans!).

Quarterly California Field Trips

Also coming in March is the first California Field Trip! Once a quarter, I take Paid and Founding Subscribers with me on a video field trip visiting spots where California Cuisine ingredients are grown and produced.

Medjool dates from Coachella!

On the first field trip we journey to Coachella Valley to visit a California date farm. You’ll see how dates are grown, learn the different types, and vicariously enjoy the SoCal sunshine. And, of course, there’ll be a recipe or two featuring dates.

We are going to have a great time traveling SoCal together!

Okay, on to the final Dinner for 2 recipes of the week.

Recipes

Lemony Fettuccini with Peas

Serves 2

Time: 30-ish minutes

Garlicky, lemony, and carb-a-liciously good! This bright and springy pasta dish comes together in half an hour and is so satisfying. Plus, green peas add some easy plant protein.

Notes:

• Don’t be distressed by the pasta measurements here. In reality, you need 8 ounces of pasta or half of a one-pound (16-ounce) box. I complicated my life by wanting to use two different kinds of pasta, regular and spinach, but you don’t have to.

• This dish is naturally dairy-free. But if that doesn’t matter to you, add grated Parmesan for extra yumminess.

• You’ll need 3 to 4 lemons to get the necessary zest and juice. I highly recommend you zest the lemons first before cutting them in half and juicing them.

Ingredients:

• 4 oz spinach fettuccini

• 4 oz regular fettuccini

• 1 cup frozen green peas

• 3 Tbsp olive oil

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

• 2 Tbsp lemon zest

• 1/4 cup lemon juice

• 1/2 cup reserved pasta water (from cooking the pasta)

• Optional: 1/4 cup grated Parmesan (dairy-free or regular)

• Garnish: chopped fresh parsley or basil, freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Bring a pot of water to boil. Add 1/2 Tablespoon salt. Once the water is boiling, add the fettuccini and cook until al dente, following package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water and set aside.

2. Place the frozen peas in a colander, then drain the cooked pasta into the colander pouring everything over the peas.

3. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Tip in the garlic, parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, and pasta water. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Transfer the cooked fettuccini and peas to the skillet. Toss until everything is coated. Add the Parmesan, if using, and toss again.

4. Divide the fettuccini and peas between two plates. Garnish with more Parm, fresh herbs, and black pepper before serving.

Dairy-Free Choco-Hazelnut Mini Cakes

Serves 2

Time: 40 minutes

Tender, chocolaty cakes topped with crunchy hazelnuts! It just happens to be dairy-free with olive oil making the cake soft and moist. This recipe makes just two mini cakes, perfectly sized for you and your dining companion. Thanks to Sally’s Baking Addiction for the recipe inspiration.

And yes, that jar in the ingredient photo below is the Homemade Vanilla Extract I made a year ago! If you haven’t made your own yet, it is definitely worth doing.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz (about 1/3 cup) dark chocolate chips or chopped chocolate

• 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (or milk of choice)

• 2 Tbsp brown sugar, packed

• 2 Tbsp olive oil

• 2 Tbsp egg (mix 1 egg in a small bowl and measure out)

• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• 6 Tbsp all-purpose flour

• 1/4 tsp baking powder

• 1/8 tsp baking soda

• 1/8 tsp kosher salt (or dash of table salt)

• 1/4 cup hazelnuts, coarsely chopped

Notes:

• Be sure to use the correct size ramekin for these personal-sized cakes! For reference, I used 6-ounce ramekins that measure 3 1/2 inches across and 2 inches deep. This size accommodates 3/4 cup batter (aka 6 ounces), which is what’s needed for this recipe. If your ramekins are a different size, adjust accordingly!

• It’s perfectly fine to use chocolate chips here if you aren’t keen on chopping and measuring chocolate bar pieces. I use Lily’s brand stevia-sweetened dark chocolate chips but use what you like.

• Don’t be put off by the small amount of egg required. Just crack one egg into a small bowl and measure out the two tablespoons needed. Using the entire egg will result in mini cakes that are too eggy (an entire two-layer cake uses two eggs, so think about that). Cover and refrigerate the remaining egg. Use it as egg wash on bread or pastry you are baking or in an omelet another time. As for me, I like to use it up right away so I microwave it for 20 seconds and eat it.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F/175 C. Move oven rack to the middle slot and place a rimmed baking sheet on it to preheat.

2. Line two 6-ounce ramekins with parchment paper and set aside.

3. Pour the chocolate and almond milk into a medium bowl. Microwave for 20 seconds and stir together until chocolate is melted. Add the brown sugar and mix until incorporated and smooth.

4. Tip in the oil, egg, and vanilla. Mix. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir until the dry ingredients are fully integrated and no dry pockets of flour are left.

5. Evenly divide the batter between the two prepared ramekins. Top each with chopped hazelnuts.

6. Place the ramekins on the heated baking sheet in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes. A tester inserted in the center should come out with a few clingy crumbs. If it is still too wet, bake for an additional 2 or 3 minutes, but don’t overbake.

7. Remove from oven and let cool in the ramekins for 15-ish minutes. Enjoy warm or at room temperature. Leftovers, if there are any, can be covered and kept on the kitchen counter for a day or two.

Tell Me

What’s been your favorite Dinner for 2 this month? Do tell.

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Remember starting next Friday we begin the Weekly Menu Plans! See you then.