Penne Rigate With Arugula Almond Pesto Recipes

Steps:

• Combine arugula, almonds, garlic, lemon juice, and cheese in the bowl of a food processor; season with salt. Pulse until coarsely pureed. With motor running, slowly add oil, processing to a paste.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add salt. Cook pasta until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain; transfer pasta to a bowl. Add pesto and toss to coat evenly. Drizzle with oil, garnish with arugula leaves, and serve immediately.

Steps:

• In a small saucepan over medium heat cook garlic in oil 5 minutes, then remove pan from stove top. Fill the food processor with arugula, loosely packed. Add walnuts and 1/2 of the warm oil and both cloves of garlic to the arugula in the processor. Add nutmeg, salt and pepper to the processor bowl, set lid in place and pulse grind the mixture into a thick paste. Add any remaining arugula to the processor and grind into the paste by pulsing the processor again. Transfer arugula paste to a large pasta bowl. Stir in the remaining oil and the cheese. Taste pesto sauce and adjust seasonings.
• While cooking penne to package directions for al dente, watch the time. After about 6 minutes, add green beans to the pasta pot. The beans will cook along with pasta the last 2 or 3 minutes. Drain pasta and beans together in a colander then transfer hot pasta and beans to the pasta bowl with the pesto in the bottom. Toss pasta and beans with pesto for 2 to 3 minutes to combine and evenly coat the pasta and beans with the pesto sauce. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Meanwhile, pluck the basil leaves from the stems (you should have about 2 cups leaves). Wash the leaves in a large bowl of cold water and dry in a salad spinner or pat dry with paper towels. Smash and peel the garlic.
• Put the basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. With the processor running, gradually add the olive oil and process until the pesto is smooth. Transfer the pesto to a large bowl and stir in the cheese. Season with the salt and some pepper.
• Bring a large pot of cold water to a boil over high heat and salt it generously. Add the penne and boil, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain in a colander and save about 1/4 cup pasta cooking water. Add the pasta to the bowl. Use tongs and toss with enough of the cooking water so the pesto coats the pasta evenly. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm.
• Upgrades: a. Make the pesto creamy by adding 1/4 cup ricotta cheese when processing the basil, garlic, and pine nuts. This is great with tortellini or ravioli. b. Top dressed pesto pasta with 1/2 pound diced large or halved small fresh mozzarella balls (bocconcini), 3 medium tomatoes cut in large chunks, and 1/2 cup pitted black olives, (we like kalamata for this), roughly chopped. c. Add cooked 1 to 2 cups chicken or shrimp.
• Twists on Pesto: In place of basil, try the following combination: 1 cup parsley, 1 cup fresh spinach leaves, 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves. Substitute walnuts for the pine nuts

Steps:

• To prepare the penne:
• In a large saucepan of salted boiling water blanch the sugar snap peas for 45 seconds, or until they are crisp-tender, transfer them with a skimmer to a large serving bowl, and toss them with 1/2 cup of the pesto. In the boiling water cook the pasta until it is al dente, reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta-cooking water, and drain the pasta in a colander. In the bowl with the sugar snap peas toss the pasta with the reserved pasta-cooking water, 1/4 cup of the remaining pesto, or to taste, and salt and pepper to taste.
• To make the pesto:
• In a food processor combine the arugula, the walnuts, the Parmesan or Sardo, the salt, and the garlic and pulse the motor until the walnuts are chopped fine. With the motor running add the oil in a stream and blend the pesto with hot cooked pasta, potatoes, or vegetables. The pesto keeps, chilled, its surface covered with plastic wrap, for 2 weeks. Makes about 2 cups.

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add arugula and cook until bright green, about 30 seconds. Remove arugula to a bowl full of ice water for several minutes until cold. Drain and wring out arugula.
• Pulse arugula, olive oil, almonds, and garlic together in a blender, scraping down the sides, until mixture just becomes a coarse puree. Pour puree into a bowl and season with salt.