Spaghetti with Mizithra Cheese - The Old Spaghetti Factory

 In a wishful effort to preserve some of our favorite recipes in one spot . . . The Old Spaghetti Factory has been a long time family favorite. My earliest memories are of visiting the one in downtown San Jose--and later, the one in downtown Denver, before Robert, with Robert, and with kids. (Trivia: This was where I had my first legal drink when I turned 21!) The most highly desired seating areas were either up in the trolley or in one of the cool booths created from old fashioned head and footboards. I vacillated between the spaghetti with clam sauce or the spaghetti with mizithra; the ultimate was half of each one (a valid menu option). Robert's handsdown choice was also the mizithra and green salad with pesto salad dressing. He still dreams about that salad dressing, I'm sure! Little loaves of bread served with a tub of regular butter and a tub of garlic butter; salad; pasta . . . followed by spumoni ice cream served in a small silver cup. Not expensive; always delicious; bliss!

Over the years, we've made spaghetti with mizithra--when we could find it, otherwise attempting a poor substitute of romano, feta, or other similar cheese, and always drenched in browned butter. I've no doubt made that dozens of times. I recently came across a copycat recipe, and while we haven't tried it (yet), based on the reviews, I've deemed it worthy to record here for posterity.

The Old Spaghetti Factory Browned Butter and Mizithra Cheese

16 oz. spaghetti

1 c. butter (2 sticks!)

1/2 c. grated mizithra

1/2 c. grated romano

1 T, minced parsley

Cook the pasta per package directions; drain. While the pasta is cooking, brown the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. As the butter melts, it will begin to foam. (You can remove the foam from the pan with a spoon, although I've never done that.) Continue cooking butter until it browns. Watch out, it will turn from browned to burned FAST! Mix pasta, browned butter, cheeses in a bowl and toss well. Garnish with parsley.

The recipe notes that it does not reheat well. That's true, but memories count for a lot. It's different reheated, but I manage to get past that. :)