Springtime Crozets

I know I know, it's Cinco de Mayo and today's post goes against everything cinco de mayo stands for.  Mexico's victory over France.

But to be honest, I didn't make this today, I made it last night.  I had some Mole over turkey cutlets tonight...so ther is no sacriledge going on here I promise!

Here we have something very very French, Crozets with Buckwheat, but from a region of France very very near the Italian border, La Savoie.  My last business trip took me to Savoie, where the Beaufort reigns, and where dishes like Tartiflette or Diots are the specialty.  I'm very familiar with the tartiflette and all the other regional cheeses such as Tomme de Savoie and Reblochon, but I'd never had nor tried Crozets, which are a pasta made with wheat and buckwheat grown and milled locally and cut into small squares.  Now the locals eat them mostly in gratins, but it's spring ladies and gentlemen, and there are plently of asparagus and fresh peas available, so I couldn't bear the idea of making a white winter dish void of anything green or springy...and I'm very happy I trusted my instincts, because in my version of Crozets, you can actually taste the Crozets instead of fishing it out of all the grease and cream in the casserole.

Serves 4-5

Ingredients

400g Crozets au Sarrasin

1 bunch fresh green asparagus, roasted and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 large carrot, peeled, roasted, and diced

1 very large handful fresh peas

1 black tomato, cut into large chunks

1 cup cooked shredded chicken

2 Tbsp EVOO

2 large cloves garlic, grated

1 handful parmesan

1 large handful crumbled feta

Lots of fresh ground pepper

Just a drizzle heavy cream

4-5 cups chicken stock (to cook the pasta)

Directions

1.  Cook the Crozets in the chicken stock and half the garlic until al dente.  The package instructions say 15 minutes, I only did 8 and they were already soft.  At 6 minutes, add the peas.  Drain reserving 1 cup of the cooking water.

2.  Off heat, toss the pasta in a wok with the EVOO, other half of the garlic, asparagus, tomatoes, carrots, chicken, and parmesan.
3.  Turn the heat back on and heat through, juste enough to warm up any cold ingredients.  Add the heavy cream and a bit of reserved pasta water.

Serve with crumbled feta and fresh ground pepper.