Fámega, Vinho Verde & Penne Pasta

Wine Name:  Fámega

Wine:  Vinho Verde
Country:  Portugal	Region:  Vinho Verde
Rating:  Good	Price: $9.00
Recommendation: Recommended, especially with summer salads, light seafood and mild cheeses.

This week we had a simple pasta dish that my wife makes without following a recipe, We matched it with a Portuguese Vinho Verde, mainly because we were looking for a light and easy white.

 The wine is the called Fámega, and it is a Vinho Verde from Potugal.

Vinho Verde is a wine that comes from the cool, wet, lush north west regions of Portugal. The typical terrain is composed of granite based soil, surrounded by rivers flowing from the mountainous regions towards the ocean in the east.  The name literally translated means “green wine”, but could also be interpreted as “young wine”. The wine we sampled was a white, but Vinho Verde’s  could also be red or Rosé.  As suggested by the name, wines from this region are intended to be consumed within one year from bottling.  The grapes used in making this wine are Avesso, Azal and Pedemá, and all are distinctly local Portuguese varieties.

The wine has a slight earthiness in the initial bouquet, and is a golden color, with a hint of green.  The taste is very sharp, and fruity at first, but mellows with time. It is almost sparkling in the mouth and has a pleasant aftertaste. It has tastes of sharp green apple and young lemon and lime. It is a warm weather wine and would pair well with summer salads, cheesses, green olives and light seafood. The term “young wine” certainly applies and for less than nine dollars a bottle it represents great value as long as it is taken in perspective with the wine type.

Food - Penne & Mozzarella Pasta

The food this week is a quick and easy dish that my wife often cooks.  The preparation does not really follow any recipe; it is usually done according to taste and our preferences. There are many ingredients that could be added, including many meats or other ingredients. We usually have it as a vegetarian meal and the additional ingredients are only limited by your imagination. I would be interested in hearing, and seeing, any creations you make.

Ingredients:

·         Penne Pasta – Sized to suit your needs

·         Fresh, soft, Mozzarella according to taste

·         Your favorite tomato pasta sauce, (Jar) or cook fresh yourself

·         Fresh Basil leaves

·         Parmesan cheese – quantity according to taste

·         Vegetables on the side as desired

Other Potential Ingredients:

·         Fresh olives, (Pitted), whole or sliced

·         Onions

·         Garlic

·         Other as your imagination dictates

Method

·         Cook Penne pasta until soft

·         Pre heat oven to 350° F

·         Cut Mozzarella while pasta is cooking

·         Drain pasta

·         Add pasta to casserole dish

·         Add tomato sauce

·         Tear up selection of Basil leaves, according to taste, and add to casserole dish

·         Stir

·         Add Parmesan cheese on top, quantity according to taste

·         Cook for approximately 30 minutes

·         Serve

·         Enjoy!