Pasta Au Pistou Recipes

PASTA AU PISTOU

Steps:

• 1. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente, then drain & rinse with cold water for 30 seconds. Transfer to a large bowl & keep warm. 2. In a blender or food processor, combine the parsley, basil, garlic, cheese, salt & 1 tbl of the oil & process until a smooth paste forms. 3. Heat the remaining 1 tbl of oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion & cook, stirring occasionally, for about 7 minutes or until soft. Add the tomatoes & cook for about 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Reduce heat to medium-low & season to taste with salt. Add the brown sugar & cook for 5-7 minutes or until thick. Remove from heat and stir in the herb mixture. Toss the pasta with the sauce & serve immediately.

SOUPE AU PISTOU

Steps:

• Drain the white beans and combine with 2 quarts water in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil. Skim off any foam, then add half the onion, half the garlic and the bouquet garni. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer 45 minutes. Add salt to taste.
• Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet, and add the remaining chopped onion and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until tender, about five minutes. Add the leeks and remaining garlic. Stir together for a few minutes, and add the tomatoes. Cook, stirring, until the tomatoes have cooked down slightly and the mixture is fragrant, five to 10 minutes. Stir this mixture into the soup pot, add all of the remaining vegetables except the green beans, and bring back to a simmer. Cover and simmer over low heat for 45 minutes to an hour. Taste and adjust the seasonings.
• While the soup is simmering, blanch the green beans for five minutes in salted boiling water. Transfer to a bowl of ice-cold water. Drain and set aside.
• To make the pistou, mash the garlic with a generous pinch of salt in a mortar and pestle. Remove it and set aside. Grind the basil to a paste in the mortar, a handful at a time, then add the garlic back in and mix together well. Work in the olive oil a tablespoon at a time, then stir in the cheese.
• Add the pasta to the simmering soup about 10 minutes before serving, and cook until cooked al dente. Add pepper, taste and adjust salt. Stir the blanched green beans into the soup and heat through. Serve, adding a spoonful of pesto to each bowl for guests to stir in. Pass additional Parmesan for sprinkling.

FRENCH SOUPE AU PISTOU

Steps:

• In a heavy pot (about 8-quart size), combine green beans, onions, potatoes, tomatoes and stock.
• Bring to a boil, then simmer until beans and potatoes are crisp tender.
• Add the cooked white beans with their cooking water (or liquid from cans) and vermicelli, and simmer until the vermicelli is just tender.
• Combine the basil, cheese, oil and garlic in a blender or processor, and puree.
• Stir this paste into the soup, bit by bit.
• Adjust seasoning if necessary.
• After the sauce has been added, the soup may be warmed, but not boiled.
• Serve with hot or toasted slices of French bread.
• To freeze: Prepare soup up to the point of adding pesto. Cool. Place in a rigid freezer container. Seal. Place pesto in a freezer bag. Seal. Attach to the top of the freezer container with tape. Label and freeze.
• To serve: Thaw in fridge. Reheat soup on stovetop until boiling. Turn down heat and add pesto to taste. Enjoy.
• For Vegetarian use vegetable broth and a vegetarian parmesan cheese.