Quick Penne Pesto With Tomatoes Recipes

Steps:

• Tear corner of Ready Pasta pouch to vent. Heat in the microwave for one minute.
• Combine pesto, tomatoes, and mozzarella in a bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste; add pasta and toss.
• Top with basil and pine nuts.

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 the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
• Meanwhile, blend the sun-dried tomatoes and their oil, garlic, salt and pepper, to taste, and basil in a food processor and blend until the tomatoes are finely chopped. Transfer the tomato mixture to a large bowl. Stir in the Parmesan.
• Add the pasta to the pesto and toss to coat, adding enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten. Season the pasta, to taste, with salt and pepper and serve.

Steps:

• Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
• Meanwhile, add the sun-dried tomatoes and their oil into a food processor until the tomatoes are finely chopped. Transfer the mixture into a large bowl and add the basil pesto and mix well. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add the pasta to the pesto and toss to coat, adding just enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Steps:

• Heat 3 tablespoons oil reserved from artichokes in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until onion is tender, about 7 minutes. Add tomatoes with their juices and artichokes. Simmer until sauce thickens slightly, about 8 minutes. Add pesto; simmer 1 minute longer. Mix in pasta and 1/3 cup cheese. Season pasta with salt and pepper.Transfer pasta to large bowl. Serve, passing additional Parmesan separately.

Steps:

• Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite (al dente), stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile chop cooked chicken.
• Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
• Blend the sun-dried tomatoes and their oil, garlic, salt and pepper, to taste, and basil in a food processor and blend until the tomatoes are very finely chopped.
• Transfer the tomato mixture to a large bowl and stir in the Parmesan and the chicken.
• Add the pasta to the pesto and toss to coat, adding enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten.
• Season the pasta to taste, with salt and pepper and serve.