Penne With Almond Pesto And Green Beans Recipes

Steps:

• Make pesto: In the bowl of food processor, add basil, pine nuts, salt and garlic. Pulse until mixture is coarse and grainy. With the motor running, add oil in slow, steady stream. Add cheese; process just enough to mix well. If sauce is too dry, add a little more oil. Taste; add more cheese or salt, if desired.
• Bring 6 quarts water to rolling boil. Add at least 2 tablespoons salt and the potato slices. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until potatoes have started to soften but are not cooked through. Add green beans, and continue boiling another 5 minutes.
• Add pasta, and stir. Start testing pasta at 5 minutes. When it is done, and when potatoes and beans are tender, drain and turn pasta and vegetables immediately into preheated bowl. Add pesto, and mix thoroughly. 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:

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, saute carrots in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the tomatoes, beans, basil and oregano; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until vegetables are tender., Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; stir into vegetables. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Drain pasta; stir into vegetable mixture. Sprinkle with parsley.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Roast tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet, turning once, until blistered and lightly charred, 15-20 minutes. Let cool slightly. Finely chop almonds in a food processor. Add garlic, olive oil, vinegar, paprika, cayenne, and half of tomatoes; pulse to a coarse pesto consistency. Season with salt and pepper.
• Heat 1 1/2 tsp. vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add half of beans; cook, undisturbed, until beginning to blister, about 2 minutes. Toss and continue to cook, tossing occasionally, until tender, 7-9 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Spread beans out on a platter; let cool. Repeat with remaining vegetable oil and beans.
• Toss beans with pesto; season with salt and pepper if needed. Add remaining tomatoes and transfer to a platter.
• Do ahead
• Dish can be made 3 hours ahead. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature. Toss and adjust seasoning just before serving.

Steps:

• Combine the olive oil, tomatoes, garlic, basil, salt and pepper in a large bowl, and let sit for 15 to 30 minutes (or longer).
• Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Fill a bowl with ice water. Add the green beans to the boiling water, and boil four to five minutes, depending on how crunchy you like them. Remove with a strainer or skimmer, and transfer to the ice water. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then drain and set aside.
• Bring the water back to a boil, and add the pasta. Cook until al dente, about eight minutes. When the pasta is ready, drop the green beans back into the water to heat, then drain the pasta and beans and toss at once with the tomato mixture and the feta. Serve hot or room temperature.

Steps:

• In a 5- to 6-quart pan over high heat, bring 3 quarts water to a boil.
• Meanwhile, peel potatoes; cut into 3/4-inch cubes. Trim and discard ends from beans; remove strings. Cut beans diagonally into 2- to 3-inch lengths.
• When water is boiling, add potatoes and pasta and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes. Add beans and cook, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender when pierced and pasta and beans are barely tender to bite, 4 to 6 minutes longer. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid.
• Return pasta mixture to pan and add pesto and 3/4 cup cooking liquid; mix gently. If desired, add more reserved cooking liquid to moisten. Gently stir in salt, pepper, and parmesan cheese to taste. Pour into a wide serving bowl or distribute evenly among plates.