Veggies And Orecchiette With Arugula Walnut Pesto Recipes

ARUGULA PESTO

Steps:

• Turn on a food processor fitted with the steel blade, and drop in the garlic cloves. When they are chopped and adhering to the sides, stop the machine, scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the walnuts. Turn on the machine, and process until they are finely ground. Scrape down the bowl again, and add the arugula and the salt. Pulse until the arugula is finely chopped, then turn on the machine and run while you slowly drizzle in the olive oil. When the mixture is smooth, stop the machine, scrape down the sides and process for another 30 seconds or so. Scrape out into the bowl of a mortar and pestle. Grind the mixture with the pestle for a smoother texture. Work in the cheese and combine well.

VEGGIES AND ORECCHIETTE WITH ARUGULA-WALNUT PESTO

Steps:

• In food processor, place pesto ingredients. Cover; blend on medium speed about 1 minute, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides, until smooth. Set aside.
• Cook and drain pasta as directed on package. Return to saucepan; cover to keep warm.
• Meanwhile, in 10-inch skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir 2 minutes. Stir in mushrooms, tomatoes, salt and pepper. Cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are tender and tomatoes are soft.
• Stir vegetables and pesto into pasta until evenly coated. Serve immediately.

PENNE WITH ARUGULA AND WALNUT PESTO

Steps:

• In a small saucepan over medium heat cook garlic in oil 5 minutes, then remove pan from stove top. Fill the food processor with arugula, loosely packed. Add walnuts and 1/2 of the warm oil and both cloves of garlic to the arugula in the processor. Add nutmeg, salt and pepper to the processor bowl, set lid in place and pulse grind the mixture into a thick paste. Add any remaining arugula to the processor and grind into the paste by pulsing the processor again. Transfer arugula paste to a large pasta bowl. Stir in the remaining oil and the cheese. Taste pesto sauce and adjust seasonings.
• While cooking penne to package directions for al dente, watch the time. After about 6 minutes, add green beans to the pasta pot. The beans will cook along with pasta the last 2 or 3 minutes. Drain pasta and beans together in a colander then transfer hot pasta and beans to the pasta bowl with the pesto in the bottom. Toss pasta and beans with pesto for 2 to 3 minutes to combine and evenly coat the pasta and beans with the pesto sauce. Serve immediately.

ARUGULA AND WALNUT PESTO

Steps:

• Brown 6 garlic cloves with their peels on in a skillet over medium high heat until the garlic is lightly browned in places, about 10 minutes. Remove the garlic from the pan, cool, and remove the skins.
• Toast the nuts in a pan over medium heat until lightly brown, or heat in a microwave on high heat for a minute or two until you get that roasted flavor. In our microwave it takes 2 minutes.
• Combine the arugula, walnuts, roasted and raw garlic into a food processor. Pulse while drizzling the olive oil into the processor. Remove the mixture from the processor and put it into a bowl. Stir in the Parmesan cheese.
• Because the pesto is so dependent on the individual ingredients, and the strength of the ingredients depends on the season or variety, test it and add more of the ingredients to taste.
• Mix with freshly prepared pasta of your choice. You may need to add a little bit of water or more olive oil to mix the pesto more evenly with the pasta.
• Makes enough pesto sauce for an ample serving of pasta for four people.

ORECCHIETTE WITH CHERRY TOMATOES AND ARUGULA

Steps:

• Start bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons oil on medium-low in a large sauté pan. Add garlic and allow to cook 10 minutes, until oil is fragrant but garlic has not browned. Remove garlic (save for another use). When water boils, stir in pasta.
• Add tomatoes to oil in sauté pan, increase heat to medium-high and, when tomatoes start to shrivel and collapse, reduce heat to low and cook until softened but not shapeless, about 5 minutes. Stir a couple of times. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water.
• Drain pasta and add to tomatoes, folding both together. Add some pasta water if needed for moistening. Fold in arugula and remaining oil. When arugula has just wilted, season dish with salt and pepper. Serve with a dusting of cheese.