Pesto Pasta Salad With Roasted Tomatoes And Asparagus Recipes

PESTO PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for the pasta. Cook the pasta until al dente according to package directions. Before draining, reserve about 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, then drain and immediately rinse the pasta under cool water to prevent the noodles from sticking to one another. Transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl.
• Meanwhile, to prepare the pesto: In a small skillet, toast the pepitas over medium heat, stirring often, until they are fragrant and making little popping noises, about 5 minutes. Pour half of the pepitas into a bowl for later (we will use them as garnish).
• Pour the remaining pepitas into a food processor. Add the basil, parsley, lemon juice, garlic and salt. Process while slowly drizzling in the olive oil, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary, until the pepitas have broken down to create a pretty smooth sauce.
• To assemble the pasta salad, pour all of the pesto over the pasta and toss until the pasta is lightly and evenly coated, adding a tiny splash of reserved pasta cooking water if necessary to thin it out. Then add the cherry tomatoes, arugula, remaining toasted pepitas, and any optional add-ins (olives, chickpeas and/or cheese).
• Toss again to combine, then season to taste with pepper. If the pasta needs more flavor, add salt, to taste, or a splash of lemon juice. If the flavors are too bold, let it rest for a few minutes, and add a little splash of olive oil if necessary to tone down the rest.

PENNE WITH ASPARAGUS AND CHERRY TOMATOES (SPRING)

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
• In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the asparagus, season with the salt and pepper, and cook for 3 minutes until slightly soft. Add the cherry tomatoes and peas. Cook for 2 minutes. Pour the chicken stock into the pan and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook until the tomatoes start to burst and the stock is reduced by half, about 3 minutes.
• Transfer the asparagus mixture to a large serving bowl. Add the cooked pasta and 1/2 of the Parmesan. Toss well, adding reserved pasta water, if needed, to loosen the pasta. Garnish with the remaining Parmesan and chopped basil.

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.

PESTO PASTA SALAD WITH ROASTED TOMATOES AND ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Serves 10-12 as a side 1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with tinfoil. 2. In a large bowl, toss the grape tomatoes (whole) with brown sugar, a dash of salt, black pepper and 1 Tablespoon olive oil, coating well. Roast at 375 for 20 minutes or until very soft and the tomatoes start to deflate. Set aside. 3. Line another baking sheet with tinfoil. Preheat the broiler. Trim the asparagus ends and toss with 1 Tablespoon olive oil, a dash of salt and pepper. Broil for 5-10 minutes, shaking the baking sheet every 2 minutes or so. NOTE: My broiler can be set to medium, but it's important to keep checking the asparagus so they don't burn. You want the asparagus to have a bit of a char at the tips and the stems to soften and start turning a little golden. Set aside. 4. Cook the pasta in unsalted water according to package directions. Reserve 2 Tablespoons of pasta water and strain the rest in a colander. Return the cooked pasta to the pot and stir in the pesto, adding some of the pasta water if it needs to be thinned a bit. Gently toss in the roasted tomatoes and asparagus, adjust seasonings. Serve hot or chill and serve cold.

PESTO PASTA WITH SUN DRIED TOMATOES AND ROASTED ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat with nonstick spray.
• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well.
• Place asparagus in a single layer onto the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper, to taste; gently toss to combine. Place into oven and roast for 8-12 minutes, or until tender but crisp. Let cool before cutting into 1-inch pieces.
• In a large bowl, combine pasta, asparagus, pesto, sun dried tomatoes and mozzarella.