Gemelli With Roasted Asparagus And Walnut Pesto Recipes

ASPARAGUS WITH WALNUTS

Steps:

• 1. Fill a large bowl halfway with ice cubes and add some cold water. Place a colander squarely inside the ice bath. The colander will keep you from having to pick the asparagus out from amongst the ice cubes in the ice bath.
• 2. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 teaspoon salt. Add the asparagus and cook for 1 to 1½ minutes. You want them to be crunchy. If the asparagus are thicker, cook for 1½ to 2 minutes.
• 3. Remove the asparagus from the water using a slotted spoon and transfer them to the colander inside the ice bath. Move them around gently so the ice water penetrates the asparagus and accelerates the cooling process. Vegetables take longer than you think to cool so allow them to sit a few minutes in the ice water. Hold a piece of the asparagus in your hand for a few seconds to assure that it's really cool (even in the center). If the piece still feels warm, allow them to cool longer in the ice bath. Place them on a kitchen towel to drain any excess moisture.
• 4. Heat oil a medium skillet until hot (but not smoking), add the walnuts and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt. They should bubble and fry slightly in the oil. When you can smell the walnuts, add the paprika and cayenne and lower the heat to medium. Cook for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly, and transfer the mixture to a bowl. Set aside.
• 5. Toss the asparagus in the bowl with the walnuts and the oil. Let this mixture sit in the refrigerator for a few hours or a few minutes. When ready to serve, stir in the lemon juice. Serve immediately.

ASPARAGUS WITH WALNUTS, PARMESAN AND BROWN BUTTER

Steps:

• Steam the asparagus until just tender, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook until the foam has subsided and the butter turns a deep golden brown, about 4 minutes. (Take care that it doesn't burn.) Stir in the nuts and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat and whisk in the cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon nut mixture over warm asparagus and serve at once.

ROASTED ASPARAGUS WITH PESTO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Mix pesto with garlic and oil and toss with asparagus on a baking sheet.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Roast in a preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until done to your.
• liking.
• Sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan cheese and serve hot.

GEMELLI WITH ROASTED RED PEPPER SAUCE

Steps:

• Place a large pot of water on the stove and bring to a boil. Salt the water and cook gemelli to al dente (with a bite to it), about 9 minutes.
• Grind drained roasted peppers in a food processor.
• Heat a large skillet over moderate heat. Add extra virgin olive oil, garlic, and shallots to the pan. Saute garlic and shallots 3 minutes, stir in roasted peppers. Saute pepper paste 2 minutes, stir in wine or chicken stock, reduce liquid for 1 or 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and parsley. Season sauce with salt and pepper and simmer until ready to serve.
• Toss hot pasta with sauce and transfer to a serving dish. Pass grated Romano and crusty bread at table.

GEMELLI WITH ROASTED ASPARAGUS AND WALNUT PESTO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees 1. Combine walnuts, grated pecorino and garlic in a food processor and pulse to chop. 2. Add juice from half the lemon (reserve the other half), olive oil and truffle oil and mix in food processor about 60 seconds, until combined in a thick paste. 3. Boil pasta, as directed. 4. Trim ends from asparagus and chop into 1/2 inch pieces. Toss asparagus with juice from reserved half of lemon, salt and pepper to taste and drizzle with olive oil. Spread on cookie sheet and roast for 7-10 minutes, depending on thickness of stalks. 5. When pasta is ready, drain, and while it is still hot, toss with walnut pesto. Remove asparagus from oven and toss into pasta mixture. 6. Top with prosciutto ribbons and garnish with pecorino shavings.

ASPARAGUS PESTO PASTA

Steps:

• Cook 1 pound trimmed asparagus in salted boiling water until crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to ice water to cool; drain and pat dry, then roughly chop. Puree the asparagus in a food processor with 1 cup fresh parsley, 1/2 cup fresh mint, 1/3 cup toasted unsalted pistachios, 1 garlic clove, 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and a few grinds of pepper. Drizzle in 1/3 cup olive oil and puree until smooth. Toss with 1 pound cooked pasta and 3/4 cup parmesan, adding pasta cooking water as needed to loosen.

GEMELLI WITH ASPARAGUS, MOZZARELLA, AND BACON

Steps:

• Snap off and discard the tough ends of the asparagus. Cut the asparagus into 1-inch pieces on the bias; set aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until bacon is crisp and all the fat has been rendered, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the bacon from pan, and drain on paper towels. Crumble the cooked bacon, and set aside. Remove skillet from heat.
• Add the pasta to the boiling water, and cook until al dente, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain pasta in a colander; set aside.
• Meanwhile, discard all but 1/4 cup bacon fat, and return the skillet to medium heat. Add the asparagus and the red-pepper flakes to the skillet. Cook until the asparagus is lightly browned. Drain the pasta, and add to skillet with the crumbled bacon, and the marjoram; season with salt. Toss together until combined and heated through. Remove the skillet from the heat.
• Add the mozzarella, and toss to combine. Divide the pasta among six plates. Garnish each serving with a grind of black pepper, and serve immediately.

WALNUT PESTO

Steps:

• Blend basil, walnuts, olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice together in a food processor until pesto has a paste-like consistency.

GEMELLI ''TWIN'' PASTA WITH BROCCOLI RABE PESTO

Steps:

• In a medium skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat. Add bread crumbs and cook, stirring until butter is absorbed and bread crumbs are toasted. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Prepare and ice-water bath; set aside. Season boiling water generously with salt and return to a boil. Add broccoli rabe and cook until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Drain and transfer to water bath to cool. Cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces, separating leaves and florets from stems.
• In the bowl of a food processor, combine broccoli rabe stems, 1/4 cup olive oil, Parmesan, pine nuts, lemon peel, and a pinch of salt. Pulse just until a smooth pesto is formed; set aside.
• Bring another large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Generously salt water and return to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes; drain, reserving 1/4 cup pasta cooking water.
• Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat remaining tablespoon oil until hot. Add garlic, red-pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt; cook until garlic is soft and translucent, about 1 minute.
• Add broccoli rabe florets and leaves to skillet along with reserved pasta cooking water; cook, stirring, until broccoli rabe is warmed through. Add pasta and pesto to skillet; season with pepper and butter. Toss to combine. Serve immediately with toasted bread crumbs and Parmesan.