I love trying new and exotic olive oils and balsamic vinegars. They can take a dish from average to awesome if they are of good quality. I recently discovered The Olive Vineyard in Agoura Hills, CA. This cheery little shop hosts a remarkably large selection of flavored olive oils and balsamic vinegars. The fun, personalized experience includes tasting cups so you can try before you buy. Then they fill your chosen bottle size with the oil or vinegar of your choice. The store even has recipe cards for different flavors to help you jump into cooking with flavored oils and vinegars.

I fell in love with their butter flavored olive oil. It was easy to imagine a host of dishes to use it in, but I ended up starting simply. I was getting ready to make pasta for dinner one night and realized I had no sauce. How I manage to have 6 packets of yeast and 8 jars of cinnamon at any given moment, but no milk or simple sauces is beyond me, but I’m working on it. So I look around and see that I do have the butter olive oil, garlic, and fresh Parmesan cheese. The result has turned out to be one of our favorite easy dishes.

What you’ll need:
14 oz Pasta (I like Farfalle)
Butter olive oil to taste
1 clove garlic (if you don’t have a garlic press, you can use the equivalent in minced garlic from the store.)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Prep time: None, unless you plan to grate your own cheese.
Cook time: 14 minutes

To Prepare
-If you are using box pasta, prepare your pasta according to the instructions on the box, else fill a large pot 2/3 full with water and heat to a boil.
-Add a sprinkle of salt and the pasta and boil gently, stirring occasionally, for approximately 14 minutes. Pasta should be slightly firm, but chewy.
-Drain the pasta.
-Drizzle the butter olive oil over the pasta until lightly coated.
-Stir in the remaining ingredients.
-Once the Parmesan is melted, it is ready to serve!

This pairs nicely with any white wine that has undergone malolactic fermentation, such as Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, or Verdicchio.