Feast of St. Scholastica
Today is the feast day of St. Scholastica - one of our family’s patron saints. She is the twin sister of St. Benedict of Nursia. To celebrate, we’re having an Umbrian-style dish and dove biscuits for dessert.
Pasta a la Scholastica
1 lb. whole wheat pasta shells
1 lb chicken breast, cubed
1/4 c. butter
1 medium onion, sliced
10 oz. baby portabello mushrooms, sliced
1/4 c. flour
1 c. white wine
1.5 c. chicken stock
1 tsp. dried tarragon
1/2 c. cream
Salt and pepper to taste
1 T dried parsley
In a large electric skillet, saute onions in 2 T butter until translucent. Remove and set aside. Add chicken cubes to the skillet and brown on all sides. Add remaining butter, melt. Add flour, salt, pepper, and tarragon. Stir to completely incorporate, cook for 2 minutes. Add wine and stock, stirring well. Add mushrooms and onions. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 20 minutes. In the meantime, prepare pasta shells to package directions. Add cream, parsley, and cooked pasta shells. Serve with shaved parmesan cheese.
Delish! This is excellent when served with a dark green salad and asparagus or broccoli.
Scholastica’s Almond Dove Biscuits
3 c. slivered almonds
1 T. sugar
1 1/2 c. butter
2/3 c. sugar
2 tsp. almond extract
4 c. sifted flour
2 eggs
2/3 c. cream
2 egg whites
Set aside almonds and 1 T sugar. Cream butter and remaining sugar. Add eggs and beat until light and fluffy. Add flour alternately with cream and blend well. Divide dough and chill.
Roll each disc out on a floured board to a thickness of 1/4″, and cut with dove-shaped cutter. Brush each biscuit with egg white, arrange almonds for feathers on the wing, sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 350F for 8-10 minutes, or until just golden at the edges.
Have a blessed Sunday!
