Pine Nut And Raisin Pasta Sauce Recipes

PASTA CON LE SARDE (SICILIAN PASTA WITH SARDINES) RECIPE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Mince half the fennel fronds and reserve the other half whole.
• Add pine nuts and sardines and cook, stirring, until sardines are just barely cooked through, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta until al dente, then drain, reserving at least 1 cup pasta cooking water.
• Transfer pasta to skillet along with 1/4 cup pasta cooking water. Return skillet to medium-high heat and cook, stirring and tossing, until pasta is well coated in sauce and any excess liquid has cooked off. Drizzle on some fresh olive oil (don't be shy) along with the minced fennel fronds, and toss well. Season with salt. Add a very small handful of bread crumbs and toss once more.
• If at any point the pasta becomes too dry, add additional pasta cooking water in 1/4-cup increments, and toss to loosen and moisten (you can also drizzle on more olive oil as desired). The noodles should be slick and glossy with a sheen of sauce, but not sitting in a watery puddle.

ANCHOVIES IN TOMATO SAUCE WITH PASTA

Steps:

• Heat a pan, add 6 tablespoons of olive oil, then add your garlic and fry slowly. As it begins to color, add the pine nuts, raisins, and anchovies and continue frying for 2 minutes, until the anchovies have melted. Add the tomato purée and the wine and stir in well. Leave to simmer on a medium heat for 3 minutes. The sauce should be quite thick, like tomato sauce, but if you think it needs thinning down, add a little water. Heat a little olive oil in a separate pan, add the bread crumbs and fry until toasted, crunchy, and golden. Leave to cool on paper towels. Meanwhile, cook your pasta in boiling salted water according to the package instructions. Drain and mix with the sauce. Check the seasoning and divide onto 4 plates, twizzling the pasta with tongs as you go. Serve sprinkled with the bread crumbs.

SICILIAN SPAGHETTI SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook beef and onion in oil over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain. , Stir in the tomatoes, raisins, wine, tomato paste, sugar, basil, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until heated through. , Meanwhile, cook spaghetti according to package directions. Stir parsley and pine nuts into meat sauce. Drain spaghetti; top with sauce.

SICILIAN AUBERGINE, PINE NUT & RAISIN FUSILLI

Steps:

• In a heavy based pan, heat ½ tbsp of oil and gently cook the onion, garlic and chilli until soft with half the oregano.
• Meanwhile, heat 3-4 tbsp of oil in another frying pan and start browning the aubergines. Once cooked, add to the onion mixture. Fry the raisins in another ½ tbsp oil and, when they have puffed up, add to the aubergine mix. Add the tomatoes, purée and rest of the oregano. Cook on a medium heat for 15-20 mins so all the flavours come together.
• Finally add the capers and the vinegar and leave on a low heat while you cook the pasta in plenty of boiling, salted water. If the mixture becomes very thick add 100ml of water. Toss the pasta through the aubergine sauce and sprinkle with fresh mint and the pine nuts. Let everyone grate over their own cheese.

RICE WITH RAISINS AND PINE NUTS

Steps:

• Add the olive oil to a saucepan, and then the onion and garlic. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until wilted. Add the rice, raisins and the pine nuts.
• Add the water, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring; cover, and simmer for exactly 17 minutes.
• Add the butter, stir to fluff the rice, and blend well.

PASTA WITH PINE NUTS, BROCCOLI, SARDINES & FENNEL

Steps:

• Bring a large pan of water to the boil, with a splash of oil, then add the pasta. Cook following pack instructions, adding the broccoli for the final 5 mins.
• Meanwhile, gently heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onions and sliced garlic, and cook slowly for 2 mins. Add the fennel and cook for a couple more mins, until softened. Flake the sardines into the pan and stir around for a few more mins to break them up.
• Tip the pasta and broccoli into the pan with the pine nuts, raisins and lemon juice. Toss together to let the pasta absorb the oil, season well and serve immediately, scattered with lemon zest and chilli flakes.

TOMATO SAUCE WITH PINE NUTS, CAPERS, OLIVES AND RAISINS

Steps:

• Drain tomatoes into a measuring cup. Reserve 1/4 cup of packing juice. Roughly chop tomatoes and set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over low heat until shimmering. Add garlic and cook gently until soft but not brown. Add tomatoes, raise heat to medium, and cook tomatoes until they are soft and broken down, about 15 minutes. Add a little reserved juice if necessary, but keep the sauce very thick.
• Meanwhile, toast pine nuts in a small dry skillet over medium heat until golden, stirring (or shaking and tossing) often. Stir into the sauce along with the raisins, olive, and capers. Season sauce to taste and serve with fish or tossed with pasta.

SICILIAN PASTA WITH CAULIFLOWER

Steps:

• Place the raisins or currants in a small bowl and cover with warm water. In another bowl combine the saffron with 3 tablespoons warm water. Let both sit for 20 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Add the cauliflower and boil gently until the florets are tender but the middle resists when poked with a skewer or knife, about 10 minutes. Using slotted spoons or tongs (or a pasta insert) remove the cauliflower from the water, transfer to a bowl of cold water and drain. Cover the pot and turn off the heat. You will cook the pasta in the cauliflower water. Cut the florets from the core of the cauliflower and cut them into small florets or crumble coarsely using a fork or your hands.
• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet and add the garlic. Cook, stirring, until it smells fragrant, about 30 seconds to a minute, and add the anchovies and tomatoes. Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes have cooked down and smell fragrant, about 10 minutes. Drain the raisins or currants and add, along with the saffron and its soaking liquid, cauliflower, pine nuts or almonds, and about 1/4 cup of the cooking water from the cauliflower. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover, turn the heat to low and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Keep warm while you cook the pasta.
• Bring the cauliflower water back to a boil and cook the pasta al dente, following the timing instructions on the package. Check the sauce and if it seems dry add another 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta and transfer to the pan with the sauce. Toss together and serve, sprinkled with pecorino and chopped basil leaves. If desired, drizzle a little olive oil over each serving.

CHERRY TOMATO PASTA WITH AVOCADO SAUCE

Steps:

• Cook rotini according to package directions for al dente. Meanwhile, place avocados, spinach, basil, garlic, lime juice, salt and pepper in a food processor; pulse until chopped. Continue processing while gradually adding oil in a steady stream., Drain rotini; transfer to a large bowl. Add avocado mixture and tomatoes; toss to coat. Top with pine nuts and toppings of your choice.