Zoe Cuisine

Pesto Pasta Salad

 

I have been making this pasta salad for years and although everyone always seems to love it, it had never occurred to me to post the recipe. Maybe that's because I made it up so there never was a recipe and also because I thought that it was just too basic and possibly a little boring. All there is to making this pasta salad is cooking some orzo or macaroni, chopping a few ingredients and tossing it all together with store bought pesto. My mom friends reminded me a week or so ago that nothing is too easy to post on the blog and that they love good food that they can make with as little fuss as possible so I gave in and decided to post this. You really don't need a recipe to make this at home, you can use my measurements as a guide for proportions but feel free to add more feta or less olives, whatever suites your taste. My pasta of choice for this is typically whole wheat orzo, but I substitute elbows or small spiral pasta in a pinch. I think the key to this pasta salad being really good versus forgettable is buying a high quality pesto. If you have the time, make your own by all means. If you are going to go the store bought route, my favorite brand is called Vermont Fresh Sweet Basil Pesto and it is available in smaller, gourmet markets in the refrigerated foods section. I think any refrigerated pesto from Trader Joe's or Whole Foods would also be fine. I am very weary of brands like DiGiorno that you can get at most large grocery stores because they taste too artificial to me. The Vermont Fresh pesto is a vibrant green color and only has about five ingredients and no preservatives. I like this best served chilled, but you can also eat it warm and it's great as a main course with some chopped chicken or grilled shrimp on top.

Pesto Pasta Salad Ingredients: 8 oz whole wheat orzo or elbow noodles 1/2 cup frozen peas (if using fresh add them to the pasta during the last minute of cooking) 1/2 cup sliced, pitted kalamata olives 1/4 cup oil packed sun dried tomatoes, chopped 1/2 of a 6.5 oz container of pesto 1/4 crumbled feta cheese Instructions: Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, add the frozen peas, sliced olives and chopped sun dried tomatoes to a large bowl (big enough to hold all the pasta). When the pasta is ready, drain it thoroughly and add it to the bowl. The heat from the pasta will cook the peas. Add the pesto and stir to combine thoroughly. Add the feta once the pasta is slightly cooled so it won't melt. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill for at least an hour or else overnight. Serves 4 as a side or 2-3 as a main course. Double the recipe for a 1 lb package of pasta which should serve at least 8 as a side dish.

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Whole Wheat Spaghetti alla Carbonara

After I catered my friends party, I found myself with an unexpected amount of leftover bacon and cheese in my fridge. I hate wasting food, so I had to come up with some means of using these ingredients besides omelettes. I immediately thought of one of my favorite pasta dishes from my childhood - spaghetti with bacon and eggs (as my Mom called it), or "carbonara". This rich pasta dish is the definition of comfort food. I felt a little strange making it at the tail end of summer, as this is usually a fall or winter dish, but it was actually a welcome change from all the salads and grilled foods we have been eating for the past few months. Carbonara is incredibly simple, as the main ingredients are just pasta, bacon or pancetta, eggs and parmesan cheese. I didn't use my Mom's old recipe (although I need to remember to ask her for it) instead I turned to my trusty Food Network friend, Tyler Florence, who never steers me wrong. I followed his recipe for the most part, making just a few substitutions. I chose whole wheat pasta instead of regular spaghetti for both the nutritional value and the nutty flavor which I think worked really well with this dish. I also used half asiago and half parmesan cheese, and I reduced the amount of bacon fat that the pasta is supposed to be tossed in. I love bacon, but including bacon plus all the extra fat that cooks off of it seems a little excessive - maybe I'll save that version for the winter when we need the extra insulation! Many carbonara recipes call for the addition of some heavy cream to thin out the parmesan and egg sauce but Tyler's recipe just uses the starchy cooking liquid from the pasta, which is cost effective and calorie conscious. Finally, I felt compelled to add a hint of green to this dish so I decided to throw in some frozen peas. I love the combination of pasta in a creamy sauce with the accent of peas but if you don't, feel free to leave them out. 

Whole Wheat Spaghetti alla Carbonara Ingredients: 1 8 oz. box whole wheat dry spaghetti 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1/4 lb. pancetta, or 4-5 slices of thick cut bacon, cubed or sliced into small strips 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped 2 large eggs 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, or 1/2 cup parm and 1/2 cup asiago or pecorino 1/2 cup frozen peas salt and freshly ground pepper 1 handful fresh parsley, chopped Instructions: Beat the eggs and parmesan together in a mixing bowl, stirring well to prevent lumps. Put aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta and cook for 8-10 minutes or until tender yet firm. Add the frozen peas during the last minute of cooking. Drain the pasta well, reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water to use to thin the sauce later if you wish. While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. Cook the bacon or pancetta until it is crisp and the fat is rendered. Hold the pan at an angle and spoon off the fat until there is approximately 2 tablespoons left. Add the chopped garlic to the pan and saute for one more minute. Add the hot drained pasta to the pan with the bacon and garlic. Toss the pasta to coat with the bacon fat in the pan. Turn the burner off and ass the egg and parmesan mixture. Toss the pasta with the mixture with a pair of tongs to coat completely, do this quickly so that the eggs do not scramble. If the pasta seems too thick and gooey, add a few tablespoons of the reserved cooking liquid to thin it out. Add more as needed until it reaches your desired consistency.  Season the pasta with lots of freshly ground pepper and salt to taste. Mound the pasta into bowls and top with additional grated cheese and the chopped parsley. Serves 3-4

Recipe adapted from Tyler Florence's on FoodNetwork.com

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Antipasto Pasta Salad

I know I just posted a pasta salad recipe, but I feel the need to post another. First off, I love having pasta salads on hand in the fridge for a quick lunch or dinner in the summer. I almost always bring some version of an orzo pasta salad to every bbq I attend, although there haven't been many of those lately with this horrible weather we have been having. Lets cross our fingers that the meteorologists are right about this coming weekend being sunny and hot so we can all enjoy our Independence Day outdoors with great food, family, friends, and perhaps some pasta salad. Now when I talk about pasta salad I don't mean the traditional variation that is bound together with mayonnaise. I like my salads to be dressed lightly with a vinaigrette or pesto, and to include lots of veggies and of course some cheese. 

Roasted Shrimp and Orzo

This is a recipe from one of my favorite domestic divas, Ina Garten aka the Barefoot Contessa. I know a lot of people find her a bit on the annoying side, but I love her. There is something about her voice and mannerisms that I find very soothing. Whenever her show is on the food network I am totally transfixed by seeing what delight she is cooking up for her husband Jeffrey or her posh South Hampton friends. She is always putting together an effortless but elegant dinner party or lunch in her gorgeous home or gardens. And by the amount of champagne that is always flowing, I can tell that Ina knows how to throw a good party. Now I know this is television and much of her show is scripted but she does actually cook in her own kitchen which is to die for. All of the amazing Hampton's scenery and story line aside, Ina cooks up some seriously good food. What I love about her recipes is that they are so simple but are packed with so much flavor. You do not need to be an expert cook to recreate her menus at home and she doesn't use hard to find ingredients. This roasted shrimp and orzo salad recipe is from an episode where Ina makes a picnic to eat on a friend's boat that is docked in a nearby harbor. Unfortunately I do not have a yacht nearby to eat my shrimp and orzo on (someday, sigh), but it is good to know that this salad travels well if you are looking for ideas for what to bring to a summer potluck. This can be served as a main course or a side dish and makes great leftovers.

Roasted Shrimp and Orzo Salad Ingredients: Kosher salt Good olive oil 3/4 pound orzo pasta (rice-shaped pasta) 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (3 lemons) Freshly ground black pepper 2 pounds (16 to 18 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined 1 cup minced scallions, white and green parts 1 cup chopped fresh dill 1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and medium-diced 1/2 cup small-diced red onion 3/4 pound good feta cheese, large diced Instructions: Fill a large pot with water, add 1 tablespoon of salt and a splash of oil, and bring the water to a boil. Add the orzo and simmer for 9 to 11 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it's cooked al dente. Drain and pour into a large bowl. Whisk together the lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Pour over the hot pasta and stir well. Meanwhile, place the shrimp on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to combine and spread out in a single layer. Roast for 5 to 6 minutes, until the shrimp are cooked through. Don't overcook! Add the shrimp to the orzo and then add the scallions, dill, parsley, cucumber, onion, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Toss well. Add the feta and stir carefully. Set aside at room temperature for 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend, or refrigerate overnight. If refrigerated, taste again for seasonings and bring back to room temperature before serving. Serves 6.

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Recipe courtesy of Barefoot Contessa, 2006

Pasta with Goat Cheese, Lemon and Asparagus

This is a very simple, fresh and delicious spring pasta recipe that was just featured in the latest Bon Appetit in a segment titled "15 meals in 15 minutes". Now is the time to try this dish at home since locally grown asparagus is readily available. All of the prep for the dish can be completed in the time it takes the pasta to cook. When the pasta is ready, simply toss and serve. I chose to use whole wheat pasta instead of white in order to bulk up the fiber content of the meal. My husband is totally anti whole wheat pasta, but I managed to get him to eat it (by not telling him I was using it!) and he actually said he liked it prepared this way! Score! The creamy sauce is packed with flavor from the tangy lemon and goat cheese without added calories from cream or butter since it is thinned with the starchy cooking liquid from the pasta. This dish is great as a vegetarian main course, but can also benefit from the addition of some protein if you choose. I actually added some Bell & Evans chicken sausage that I removed from the casing and browned in a skillet. It would also be great with shrimp, scallops or chicken.

Pasta with Goat Cheese, Lemon and Asparagus Ingredients: 1 lb fusilli or rotini (I recommend using a whole wheat variety) 1 lb slender asparagus spears, trimmed into 1-1.5" pieces 1/4 cup olive oil 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest 2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon 1 5 oz log soft fresh goat cheese (do not buy crumbles - they don't melt as well!) Instructions: Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until almost tender, about 7 minutes (longer if using whole wheat pasta). Add asparagus and cook until pasta is done, about 2-3 minutes. While pasta is cooking, combine oil, zest and tarragon in a large bowl. Crumble in the goat cheese. Drain the pasta and asparagus, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Add the hot pasta, asparagus and 1/4 cup of cooking liquid to the bowl with the goat cheese mixture. Toss to coat, adding more cooking liquid if dry. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Variation: If you would like to add some protein to this dish, try one of the following - seared shrimp, shredded rotisserie chicken or chicken sausage cooked without the casing and crumbled (this was my choice). Just add the protein of your choice at the end to the finished pasta dish. Serves 4-6

Recipe Courtesy of Bon Appetit June 2009

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