I’ve been eating Pasta with Burnt Butter and Mizithra Cheese at the Old Spaghetti Factory for almost four decades (see blog post here). I’ve never made it before it as Mizithra cheese is an ingredient that I don’t often come across. But when I saw it at the Global Cheese Shop in Kensington Market (78 Augusta), I knew I had to buy it so I could make this recipe:
RECIPE FOR PASTA WITH BURNT BUTTER AND MIZITHRA CHEESE …adapted from www.cdkitchen.com
Ingredients:
Pasta
Butter
Mizithra Cheese
Instructions:
To make the brown butter: Cut the butter into tablespoon sized pieces and place in a 2 quart sauce pan and put on a medium heat. Bring butter to a slow boil (about 5 minutes)/
Once the butter begins to boil, stir constantly to prevent residue from sticking to the bottom of the pan. As the butter cooks, it will start to foam and rise. Continue stirring..otherwise the butter foam could overflow and catch fire!
Turn off the heat and remove pan from the burner. Let the sediment settle to the bottom of the pan for a few minutes. Then pour the brown butter thru a strainer and into a small bowl. (this is an important step)
The butter will look like this!
Boil the pasta of your choice.
Spread the cheese over the pasta and top with hot brown butter.
CAN YOU SAY – “COMFORT FOOD”?
Happy Cooking!
Butter, Cheese, Global Cheese, Kensington Market, Mizithra Cheese, Old Spaghetti Factory, Pasta, Recipe
Fact: I have been eating spaghetti with browned butter and mizithra cheese at the Old Spaghetti Factory for a long long time. It’s a very unique dish that you wouldn’t normally find in an Italian restaurant but I love it. How would I describe Mizithra cheese? Here’s your answer: very dry and very salty. To be honest, I’m not sure I have had Mizithra cheese outside of the Old Spaghetti Factory!! But I love it.
Browned Butter with MIzithra Cheese
I recently took my daughter for lunch to the Old Spaghetti Factory and noticed that they are about to celebrate their 40th anniversary. I started to tell her that I have been eating the same dish there since I was about her age and how unusual it is to see the the same dish on a menu for that length of time.
I remember going to the Spaghetti Factory quite a bit as a kid. Time passes (ok decades) where I didnt go back to the Old Spaghetti Factory. However a few years ago we had visitors and thought that it would be a fun restaurant to take them too. I have to admit, not much had changed. The same stained window lamps and the lovely train is still there for those diners lucky enough to snap up a table.
I felt like a kid again!!
Back then (i.e 1970), it was a big deal to have a meal that included a salad, sourdough bread, coffee/tea and spumoni ice cream, at no additional cost. It’s still a nice treat – even today!! It made me smile to see the same whipped garlic butter and regular butter appear with the sourdough bread as well as the spumoni ice cream. Nothing has changed!!
spumoni ice cream...nothing has changed!! Still delicious...
I went on their website (like a good food blogger) and noticed that they had locations in BC, Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario. The one I went to as a kid was in Ottawa. I remember it like it was yesterday. Sadly it has been closed for many years.
In honor of their 40th anniversary, on Monday Aug. 22nd, the Toronto location (54 The Esplanade) will be offering spaghetti entrees at their 1971 prices!!
Think about it: what restaurants (not fast food) have you been visiting since you were a kid that still has the same dish on the menu?
Do share.
Anniversary, Mizithra Cheese, Old Spaghetti Factory, Spaghetti, Toronto
