I hate to say that we had this a month ago, at least. I'm even a little sheepish about it. I have a really strong affection to this pesto. Stupid simple to pull together and it was incredibly versatile. I know Ruth will get a laugh at this - yet another pesto for Presto Pasta Night! :)
Found in Heidi Swanson's Super Natural Cooking, I chose this pasta dish because I really wanted to showcase the fresh vegetables I found at the market - asparagus and peas. If you are familiar with this recipe, you'll know that it doesn't call for fresh peas... but I had them, and they were green, and I wanted to eat them, so in they went with the asparagus to blanch.
Really tasty. Happened to have about a pint of fresh peas from the market, so I tossed those in to blanch with the asparagus. I did cheat and buy my pasta this time. Isn't it weird, how foreign something can be until you're used to it? At this point, I can't imagine not making my own pasta - so long as it isn't anything shaped - which I guess is kinda simple, but still. We have the attachment for macaroni, but my one attempt was a disaster. Pasta sheets it shall be. :)
Anyway, the combination of egg and spinach pasta was visually interesting and it tasted quite nice, too. The spinach pasta added an element we aren't normally used to - so much so that I want to try to make my own spinach pasta... but that is a story for another post.
The asparagus, spinach and peas played really nicely together in the puree. The flavors blended, leaving them all to be equal players - no one flavor stood among the rest. I think I added a little more than half a lemon, but I really enjoy the extra bite of citrus in pesto.
Because I'd added a good cup of peas to the mix, I ended up with quite a lot of puree. I followed Heidi's suggestion in the book and used it everywhere I could: in sandwiches, other recipes calling for pesto, and on pizza.... all in a 10 day period. We even had the pesto pizza TWICE in that time. Why? Because the pesto, on a pizza, with ricotta, goat cheese, or mozzarella, is amazing - and we tried it each way. You'd think that having the same flavor so many times would get old, but it didn't. Our socks were that knocked off.
I'm sorry to share this past the asparagus season, but if you're like me a cheat a little and get them at other times in the season, please bookmark this recipe and give it a try. In pasta, it is surprisingly creamy, smooth and tart. On pizza, it is even better.
Straw and Hay Fettuccine Tangle with Spring Asparagus Puree
c/o Super Natural Cooking, by Heidi Swanson
http://www.amazon.com/Super-Natural-Cooking-Incorporate-Ingredients/dp/1587612755/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1214342419&sr=1-1
The folate-rich asparagus and spinach puree can be made ahead of time; store it in the refrigerator in a jar topped with a layer of olive oil. It’s also great slathered on a grilled vegetable Panini, as a swirl in a simple potato soup, or as a sauce for pizza.
Spring Asparagus Puree
1 bunch asparagus spears, trimmed and halved crosswise
3 handfuls baby spinach leaves
2 cloves garlic
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
1 cup toasted pine nuts
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for topping
Juice of ½ lemon
½ teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
4 ounces dried spinach fettuccine, or 6 ounces fresh
4 ounces dried egg fettuccine, or 6 ounces fresh
Bring two pots of water to a rolling boil, one large and one medium. You’ll use the large one to cook the pasta and the medium one to blanch the asparagus.
To make the asparagus puree, salt the asparagus water and drop the spears into the pot. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the spears are bright green and barely tender. Drain and transfer to a food processor (preferably) or a blender. Add the spinach, garlic, the 1 cup of Parmesan, and ¾ cup of the pine nuts. Puree and, with the motor running, drizzle the ¼ cup olive oil until a paste forms. It should be the loose consistency of pesto; if too thick, thin it with a bit of the pasta water. Add the lemon juice and salt, then taste and adjust the seasoning.
Salt the pasta water well and cook the pasta until just tender; you’ll need less time for fresh pasta, more for dried. Drain and toss immediately with 1 cup of the asparagus puree, stirring in more afterward depending on how heavily coated you like your pasta. Serve sprinkled with the remaining ¼ cup toasted pine nuts, a dusting of Parmesan, and a quick drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.
Serves 4 to 6.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Straw and Hay Fettuccine Tangle with Spring Asparagus Puree
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Pea, Pancetta, Leek and Onion Frittata
Doesn't that slice of frittata look like it fell from the sky and onto my plate? Splat!No, the weatherman wasn't calling for frittata showers, this particular frittata didn't hold together particularly well. I take all the blame myself, and not just because Donna Hay is a food genius. I know it was oozy because I added more ricotta cheese than called for. I had so much fun doling out dollop after dollop... I couldn't control myself!
Dave and I shared this for dinner, and while I can't see us having it for breakfast, I think it would be perfect for brunch. Just make sure you take it easy on the ricotta. :)
Pea, Pancetta, Leek and Onion Frittata
c/o Donna Hay Magazine, Issue 32
20g (3/4 oz) unsalted butter
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 brown onion, sliced
1 leek, sliced
6 eggs
1 cup (8 fl oz) (single or pouring) cream
1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
Sea salt and cracked black pepper
200g (7 oz) fresh ricotta cheese
1 cup frozen peas, defrosted
5 slices pancetta, roughly chopped
Heat a 22 cm (8.5 inch) frying pan over medium heat. Add the butter and oil and swirl around the pan to coat. Add the onion and leek and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until soft. Place the eggs, cream, Parmesan, salt and pepper in a bowl and whisk to combine. Reduce the heat to low pour over the egg mixture and cook for 5 minutes or until the edges just start to set. Top with ricotta, peas and pancetta and cook for 15 minutes or until the egg is almost set. Place under a preheated hot grill for 5 minutes or until the egg is set and the top is golden.
Serves 4.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Fried Prosciutto for Everyone!!!
If I were campaigning for anything, "Fried Prosciutto for Everyone!!" would be my battle cry. I'd have it on posters and fliers and cute little buttons. Because you know what? You simply cannot go wrong with these tasty little meat chips.
A little back story. Until two nights ago, I didn't like prosciutto. Hated the stuff. Didn't like the smell, its squiggliness, the way it stuck together no matter how hard you tried to pry it apart... none of it. Enter Sunday night's recipe. I don't know how I ended up on the Today Show's website way back in September, but I'm glad I did. This dinner was a bit of a mess to put together (three different pans and a blender, people!), but well worth it!
Now, my one suggestion to you would be: more peas/less broth. The "puree" the recipe speaks of is quite thin and runny... and I only used half of it. I think it would have benefited from either more peas or less broth. You choose for yourself which you like better. The prosciutto fried up in a snap and I'm frankly surprised that any of it made it to our dinner bowls. I tried one, and then another, and then one more after that... If someone were to make and sell a bag of fried prosciutto chips, I would buy stock.
Tagliatelle with Peas and Prosciutto
Chef Kathleen Daelemans shares food facts and easy-to make meals
Chef Scott Conant
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20265460/page/2/
Serves four
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 shallot, thinly sliced lengthwise
Kosher salt
1 cup fresh or frozen peas
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon
4 thin slices prosciutto, chopped
3/4 pound fresh or dried tagliatelle
Make a pea puree: In a small saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallot, season with a generous pinch of salt, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add half of the peas and the chicken broth. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook the peas until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the parsley and the tarragon. Transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor (or use a hand blender right in the pot) and puree it.
Crisp the prosciutto: Heat about a teaspoon of olive oil in a medium sauté pan. Add the prosciutto and cook, stirring occasionally, until the prosciutto is quite crispy, 4 to 5 minutes.
Cook the pasta in well-salted boiling water. If using fresh pasta, add it and the other half of the peas to the pot at the same time and cook until the pasta is al dente. If using dried, start the pasta first and add the peas for the last 2 minutes of cooking. Reserve a cup or so of the pasta water and then drain the pasta and peas. Return the pasta to the pot it cooked in, add the pea puree and toss to coat, adding a little of the reserved pasta water if it looks dry. Divide the pasta among warm bowls and top the pasta with the prosciutto. Drizzle a teaspoon of olive oil over each bowl and serve immediately.
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