Fideuá - a new take (garlic/butter)

The story goes that somewhere along the Mediterranean coast (Valencia by all counts), a fishing boat cook set out to make the usual onboard meal for the crew: a paella using fish from the day's catch. Turns out there was no rice, so he substituted "fideos", a type of thin pasta, and "fideuá" was born.

Recently I tried another take, more or less based on the Italian Aglio e Burro. It turned out great. Here's the recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 cup "fideos" or other small, thin pasta. Orzo or thin spaghetti (chopped) work well.
• 2 or 3 cups stock (veg, chicken, beef, water + boullion cube) heated.
• 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
• Butter, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper (or saffron, tumeric, pimentón)
• 1 tbsp Philadelphia cream cheese
• White wine

Preparation

• Cook garlic in 2 tbsp of butter on medium heat.
• When the garlic is tender, add the pasta and let it brown just a little.
• Add the salt, 1 cayenne pepper (crumbled) and a splash of wine.
• Add a cup of the hot stock, stir, cook on medium. Add stock as needed, and stir like risotto.
• When the pasta is "al dente" (depends on the type of pasta), check for salt, correct as needed, stir in the Philadelphia.
• Remove from heat, if it seems a little dry, stir in some stock - the pasta will continue to absorb liquid, so a little extra won't hurt... Cover and let it rest for a few minutes. Done.

Note:
1. Sour or heavy cream works in place of the Philadelphia, either give the dish a nice creamy texture.
2. As an added extra, grate some cheese on top before serving.
3. A good splash of soy sauce at the end livens things up, especially if it needs salt.

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