I was scared by a person wearing a monkey paper mask when I was 12. That’s the most a scary costume could get in those days. It was called ‘fancy dress competition’ growing up, wasn’t a big deal. I remember one year couple of my friends and I decided to be the cha cha dancers, a day before the competition. All we did was wear long flowery dresses and a plastic flower pinned to the side of our hair. It was darn cute but so silly.
Do you remember your most memorable Halloween costume?
Now, Halloween starts a couple of months before the day. The boys decide what they want to be and put me to work. It’s nice to create fun stuff and to see them play the part.
Every year after their loot we get home to a small party I throw. I usually keep it simple and it’s quite a quick dinner. So this year it’s gonna be Squid Ink Pasta, with some grenadine added to orange juice, and chocolate cake. I printed some stickers for the antique bottles, which is going to hold the drink.
This is my last batch of Squid Ink Pasta which I got from Venice couple of years ago. I ate squid ink pasta for the first time few years ago in Venice. A run down place, but absolutely fresh and beautiful food. I just fell in love with that dish which was made with seafood stock.
This version is a simple pasta made with fennel infused oil, 4 ingredients but really good ones. Tastes amazing.
Ingredients:
1 pound squid ink pasta
4 tbsp truffle oil or olive oil
1 tsp fennel seeds
4 cloves garlic grated finely
1 tsp red chilly flakes
1/4 tsp fresh cracked pepper
2 tbsp of finely chopped basil
Salt to flavor the pasta
Method:
1. In a small pan add the oil and let it get hot. Reduce the temperature and add the fennel seeds and let it pop a bit. Add the garlic and red chilly flakes, making sure not to burn the garlic and chilly flakes. Switch of the flame and let the oil sit for an hour.
2. Bring 6-7 quarts of water and let it boil. Then add salt and cook the pasta according the instructions or for 6-7 minutes. Drain. Keep some pasta water aside.
3. Warm the oil again and toss the pasta in the oil and add a bit of the water if the pasta is too dry.
4. Add some basil and fresh black pepper. Serve Hot.
ENJOY!
Hope all of you are doing well and your week is going great my friends.
Copyright 2013 – Food Fashion Party
My favorite costume when I was growing up was the year I dressed as a frog. 😉 Sounds weird now, but when I was 7 I thought it was way cool. You’ve reminded me that I have some squid ink pasta in my pantry that I really need to use. This looks terrific – thanks.
Perfect Halloween dinner! I LOVE the look of the squid ink pasta…and your sauce sounds amazing! We just used to grab stuff out of our “dress up box” and run out the door with our bags…not too much planning; it was all about the candy!!!
Wow, that looks great! Making it is simple, but it’s really tasty. All the ingredients combine to make this slightly spicy dish.
Divine and spooky!! You’ve styled this pasta so beautifully and effortless!
Pinned.
I had never heard of squid ink pasta till i read your post – thanks lady for contributing to my knowledge base. This pasta is gonna be quite the show stopper – it looks super spooky and sounds tasty! Grenadine in orange juice and chocolate cake sound like the PERFECT accompaniments!
Growing up in Sr Lanka and Abu Dhabi, Halloween was’nt really celebrated – I remember dressing up for plays and dances,but that was the extent to it. My sister on the other hand, loved to dress up – she would raid my moms closet picking out sarees and shoes and makeup 🙂
oh yes love to try that.. is hard to find in Malaysia
Beautifully captured and looks so yum!
The pasta is beautiful! I love how it does kind of give off a spooky essence just by virtue of it being black. Such a lovely meal!
The quid ink pasta definitely looks perfect for Halloween!I have never tried it, totally new to me:)
Have a spooky Halloween dear and have fun trick or treating with your boys!
Wow!
This is so fancy. Would love to try it out. Your photos as always are gorgeous along with the presentation! Love it!
squid ink pasta – how appropriate for halloween! I also love the bottles and the labels. Sounds like a fun party!
I’m throwing my first halloween party for four 2 year olds and I’m really nervous 🙂 They might all freak out if I do anything scary!
@Liz–exactly, it was a grab and go and have fun..now it’s big.
@Nik-<3<3
@Sashi- sounds just like how it was in India and your sister sounds interesting..
@Shema-thanks and you enjoy with Mikeala too, she must be super excited to dress up..
@Asmita-thank you so much.
@Arhcana- ohhh have fun..2yr olds are so easy to please and soooo sweet. I’m sure your little one must be sooo excited.
Delicious and apt pasta for halloween party. I am not taking my kids to trickotreat, as they are small no party also, may be once they grow up,and demand I will throw one.
Have fun with your boys and enjoy Halloween.
Wonderful Photography!!!
Hmm…never tried squid ink pasta…hearing for the first time too. Glad to learn another new ingredient. How does it taste? It looks perfect for Halloween dinner and loved your drink bottles and stickers, cool gal!!!!
I looove this type of pasta! I have to make a trek to the specialty pasta provision shop away from me but it’s so worth it!
Looks spooktacular! Love the creepy crawliness of this. Very cool
Your stickers are so cute, Asha, what a great idea!
Love the black pasta. Squid ink not only adds a gorgeous color but a lovely taste as well.
@Shibi-It has a slight distinct flavor to it and goes really well with seafood.
@Daniela-thank you..the stickers were fun:).
love those bottles and labels. never heard of that pasta but pretty cool for Halloween. have a great day dear 🙂
Looks like a perfect Halloween treat.. Never know how does the squid ink pasta taste, yet to discover.. And great shots as always..
That looks fabulously Halloweeny! And I love those bottle print outs. I found a heap on Pinterest that I loved too! 😀
@So excited for the kids to drink from those bottle..Thank You.
Though It is very new to me, still your Squid ink pasta looks so good !! It is too perfect for any Halloween Party! Enjoy…
Absolutely stunning. The first time I tried squid ink pasta was at an Italian restaurant. My mom ordered it and I was resenting it at first but fell in love. The only thing is it turns your teeth black sometimes! 🙂
Great presentation and you are such a good mom!
Gorgeous, seasonal post, Ash – so festive!
I’ve never had squid ink pasta before – is there a certain texture of flavor about it? Your images are haungtingly beautiful!! Luv those little labels on the apothecary-like bottles (have my eyes on some printables like those from etsy!)
Hope you and your family enjoy a safe and happy Halloween next week. :o)
OMG this looks gorgeous! love the photographs, very very artistic! Love your blog Asha!
‘fancy dress competition’ brought so many memories from childhood
Ash, I love how dramatic the squid ink pasta looks – perfect for Halloween!
I never liked wearing costumes, would always make some reason to avoid the event. But this year, I was an angry bird at my friend’s kid birthday party. She wanted it costumy, and she is my best friend so I decided to just go for it. As silly as I looked, I actually loved it 🙂
Talking of food, pasta is truly my fav dish but squid ink is something I am yet to try. Somehow the color doesn’t appeal me, but I will still try someday.
You reminded the days of go as you like, it was such fun. Love the scary little bottles and great idea on the labels.
Wow asha .. These are really awesome for the Halloween ..
Am sure your kids would have enjoyed them ..
Do link it yo the event on am blog .
Let’s celebrate Halloween.
Do link it to the event on my blog,
Theme let’s celebrate Halloween
http://justnotthecakes.blogspot.com/2013/10/event-announcement-lets-celebrate.html
I’ve heard of squid ink but never used it! This pasta looks amazing! It’s very Halloweenish. I wonder if the squid ink pasta has a certain flavor or is it just a regular pasta flavor?
oh yummm! i LOVE squid ink pasta- ive never made it myself, but whenever i see it on a menu (which is rare around here!) i always order it! and lol ive had some pretty ridiculous halloween costumes. one year i glued red felt stripes to my white sweat pants and white sweatshirt and wrapped myself in cellophane and went as a peppermint candy. it would have been great if i didnt have to actually move in it:)
We don’t really celebrate all souls days in a fun day, in fact it’s boring and sand day but important to honor the dead. As a kid I always wished we had Halloween in Europe but we have carnival instead. =)
I am impressed by your gorgeous pasta! I am still looking out for squid ink here in Goa. It seems the fisher ladies throw it out which is a pity of course. Fantastic dish!
This looks spectacular. I have never seen ink pasta before but I would love to get some. Where did you get it. I think my kids would be shocked to eat black spaghetti, so cool 🙂 Your pictures as always are beautiful. What a great dish!!
This is one spooky post you did for halloween. I have heard about squid ink before, but pasta ? Where did you get it and how does it taste?
Swamp lizard in skunk oil 😀 😀
What a beautiful photography too
Sukanya
I wish I had more of a taste for seafood than I do, I think I miss out on so much.
This looks beautiful and your photos are gorgeous.
Halloween wasn’t big in England when I was growing up so we never did it.
Nazneen xx
such a spooky post… I love Halloween.. beautiful pics
Now this is a Halloween dish I can get behind! Whenever I see squid ink pasta on a restaurant menu, it’s really hard for me to resist. Either my husband or I usually go for it and it’s always a good decision. It looks delicious and the party sounds like great fun!
Beyond cool! What a brilliant “spooky” idea for Halloween. The pictures are unbelievably gorgeous, too.
My timing for stopping by is great because I was just looking at some of my childhood Halloween costume photos.
Your black pasta looks gorgeous and so festive. Thanks for sharing Ash!
You made a Halloween dinner look elegant and beautiful, you are the best!
Oh my….your squid ink pasta is gorgeous and definitely perfect for Halloween Meals. 🙂 I gotta hunt some down to make it this year.
Thanks everyone..
@Kankana- the frog costume sure sounds like fun. how sweet of you to dress up for your friend. sweet.
For those who are trying to get it..
http://www.amazon.com/Rustichella-Abruzzo-Spaghetti-Black-Squid/dp/B000QHF3CC
There’s also a number of online sites where you can find, but I have no clue as to the quality..I’ve never got it online. My friends do buy it online and have liked it.
@Char-that is hilarious..I would imagine how funny and stiff it would have been and let’s not forget how innovate.
As far as food blogger conferences, I’ve just asked a few friends which ones they found useful and then looked for them online. The IFBC will be back in Seattle again next year…most likely in Sept. I am going to Mixed in Virginia at the end of Nov and I’m going to see if I can work in Eat Write Retreat if it’s not the same time as my high school class reunion (I think it’s in Philly). My Sunday Supper crew is hosting The Food and Wine Conference in Florida…it’s in July. So I’d just check them out…see if any of the locales/dates work for you. There are lots more options…BlogHer Food, etc.
I was always a witch (black hair dictated) and I always had a green face and hands. 🙂
I love these photos!!
I love those photos more than the pasta 🙂 You are an artist.
Looks insane!
Oh love it! Squid ink pasta is the only one I have not tired on.. Never had a liking to that but hope to try soon 🙂 Lovely pics. I love your dark shade photography..:)
Absolutely beautiful plate of pasta, Asha! This post brings back to mind a time when my cousin and I had the idea to buy squid, extract the ink, and make our own pasta! Talk about a long, tiresome process! Much easier to buy it. I love this recipe and your photography is spectacular! Thanks for a great post, Asha!
@Bill-talk about making things from scratch..that is insane, but I am sure it was the best pasta ever.
@Angie-thanks so much.
Wow! That looks so gourmet-ish! And those flavors sounds gorgeous.
Wow! Such a wicked cool idea for Halloween dinner to treat your boys. I bet they were so appreciative of Mom! 🙂 We do a Ghoulash (goulash) or Chicken Paprikash with Dumplings each year for our Halloween dinner. Each dish has a pretty autumnal orange hue and so satisfying when you’re hungry. Traditions are so much fun, aren’t they? LOVE that you used squid ink pasta with fennel infused truffle oil! So creative. I adore fennel seed and my spaghetti sauce is never the same without it. Thanks for sharing, girl! xo
I LOVE squid ink pasta, and used to eat more often when I am in Japan (it’s popular there) and I don’t eat enough here! I like the moody shots – the background is dark yet your pasta stands out so well with the beautiful light!