Ginger Chicken over Grilled Vermicelli for Presto Pasta Night

Wow, it's already Thursday and only one more day to bring your perfect pasta recipe to Presto Pasta Nights. Find out how here.

Over the last couple of weeks, I've seen some very original pasta dishes and decided I would step out of my usual comfort zone (think Italy) and last week I went sort of Russian with the strogonov, I thought I'd try another part of the world that loves pasta. In fact, that's where the whole pasta thing started - Asia!. Once I made that leap it was hard to choose. There are so many Asian dishes I love that have noodles - Vietnamese Pho are soups with tons of noodles (a perfect lunch when I'm running around doing errands); Pad Thai with that rich creamy sauce and toasted peanuts sprinkled on top; Singapore noodle dishes with their distinctive curry flavor; and last but not least...stir fried anything served in a crispy "bird's nest".

But I must admit, I've never cooked any of those dishes at home. And since I discovered a package of rice vermicelli in my pantry, I thought I'd try to do my own rendition of a bird's nest. That said, and I know it's hard to imagine, but with all my kitchen toys, I do NOT own a wok. (I stir fry in a large saute pan or skillet), so imagine my joy when I found a perfect alternative solution in A Spoonful of Gingerby Nina Simonds (one of my favorite books). She did a ginger beef with snow peas sitting on top of grilled vermicelli. Yes, you read correctly - GRILLED. You boil the noodles, rinse and drain them, toss with a blend of toasted sesame and safflower oils (not too much). Spread them in a thin layer on a large cookie sheet and stick them under the broiler for a few minutes to get them golden. I cut them into squares a little smaller than the size of my plates and piled the stir fry (I used chicken and spinach - and in my haste forgot the shitake mushrooms I bought) on top.

My daughter and I found it very tasty. My honey loved the stir fry part, but didn't like the texture of the noodles. He just felt like there were hairs in the dish. Perhaps next time I'll try wider noodles as the base. So if you're still interested - honestly it was delicious!...

Recipe

Ginger Chicken with Spinach over Grilled Vermicelli

So what's your favorite pasta dish? Why not share in the fun and join the Presto Pasta Night Party. And don't forget to check back here tomorrow for the roundup so you can have a great pasta weekend.

Related links: Food and Drink easy cooking pasta Food Blogging Event Presto Pasta Night