Leslie Revsin Recipe: Angel Hair Pasta with Strawberry and Brown Sugar Sauce

Chef Leslie Revsin

September is National Honey Month.

Chef Leslie Revsin's culinary style has been described by New York magazine as a "savvy blend of modern American and European." Gourmet magazine proclaims, "Once tasted, her dishes are usually not forgotten."

Leslie has chefed at many of Manhattan's top restaurants including Bridge Cafe, One Fifth Avenue and Argenteuil. Most recently she was executive chef at the Inn at Pound Ridge, some 40 miles north of New York City.

After graduating magna cum laude from Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota, Leslie attended New York Technical College and received a degree in hotel and restaurant management. She began her career at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel as a "kitchen man" and rose to become its first woman chef in 1973. In 1977, she opened Resturant Leslie, her own nine-table bistro, in Greenwich Village.

Leslie starred in her own half-hour segment of the PBS series "Master Chefs of New York" and has made television appearances on other shows throughout the county.

Angel Hair Pasta
with Strawberry and Brown Sugar Sauce

Five-Minute Dessert To Die For

Take five or six simple but delicious ingredients, put them together in an east yet inventive way, and you have a summer dessert to die for—Angel Hair Pasta with Strawberry and Brown Sugar Sauce.

Leslie Revsin created this heavenly dessert using ordinary ingredients and it is completely uncomplicated to prepare, yet tastes absolutely divine.

When first coming up with the idea for angel hair pasta recipe, Leslie says, "People love pasta and rice, basically, I wanted something as homey as noodle pudding but a little more elegant." That thought process led to angel hair pasta. "It has a fine, delicate appearance--just for dessert," says Leslie. A sauce is made simply from cream and brown sugar, than tossed with the cooked pasta--which, because it's so fine, takes barely 3 minutes to reach al dente—and sliced strawberries. Top the whole with chopped nuts.

Angel Hair Pasta with Strawberry and Brown Sugar Sauce

1 cup thinly sliced branded strawberries
1/3 cup dark brown sugar, divided
3/4 cup heavy cream
4 ounces angel hair pasta
2 tablespoons chopped, toasted hazelnuts

In small bowl, toss strawberries and 1 tablespoon brown sugar. Cover set aside. In medium saucepan, combine cream and remaining brown sugar. Bring to boil stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer several minutes or until sugar is dissolved and cream is light brown in color and smooth in consistency. Drain very well. Return saucepan to heat, add pasta and toss until thruoughly coated and heated. Place pasta in serving bowl or in individual dishes. Spoon strawberries and juices over pasta. Sprinkle chopped nuts. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings

This page originally published as a FoodDay article in 1997.