Basil Pesto Pasta With Grilled Vegetables Food

BASIL PESTO PASTA WITH GRILLED VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Preheat grill to medium-high. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Combine basil, Parmesan, walnuts, garlic, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/8 tsp. pepper in a food processor; pulse until finely chopped. Slowly pour 1/4 cup oil through the feed tube; continue processing until the mixture is smooth. Transfer to a medium bowl and set aside.
• Combine portobellos, bell peppers, squash, scallions, and the remaining 2 Tbsp. oil, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/8 tsp. pepper in a large bowl; toss to coat.
• Oil the grill grates (see Tip). Grill the vegetables until tender and lightly charred, 6 to 8 minutes per side. Remove from the grill and coarsely chop.
• Cook pasta according to package directions. Add zucchini "noodles" to the pasta during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining. Drain the pasta and zoodles and place in a large bowl.
• Whisk 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water into the pesto. Pour over the pasta and toss to coat, adding more reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce. Add the grilled vegetables and beans; toss to coat well.

GRILLED VEGETABLE PANINI WITH BASIL PESTO

Steps:

• For Panini:.
• Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle the oil over the eggplant, zucchini, and onion slices, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Working in batches, grill the eggplant, zucchini, and onions until they are tender and grill marks appear, about 4 minutes per side.
• Cool completely.
• Cut each baguette into 6 pieces.
• Working with one baguette piece at a time, slice in half and spread both sides with the pesto.
• Working with the bottom slice of the baguette, stack 2 slices of eggplant, 2 slices zucchini, 1 slice onion, 1 slice tomato, 1 slice mozzarella, and 1 slice of roasted pepper.
• Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Place top half of baguette on top and continue with remaining baguette.
• (The sandwiches can be made 4 hours ahead. Wrap well with plastic wrap and refrigerate.).
• For Basil Pesto:.
• In a blender, pulse the basil, pine nuts, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper until finely chopped.
• With the blender still running, gradually add enough oil to form a smooth and thick consistency.
• Transfer the pesto to a medium bowl and stir in 1/2 cup of cheese.
• Season the pesto with more salt and pepper, to taste.
• (The pesto can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Yields 1 cup and takes about 10 minutes to prepare.

PASTA WITH ROASTED SUMMER VEGETABLES AND BASIL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Divide squash, tomatoes, onions, and garlic between two large rimmed baking sheets. Drizzle with oil, and season with salt and pepper; toss to coat and then spread evenly. Roast (without tossing) until tender and starting to brown, 30 to 40 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil; add a generous amount of salt. Cook pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Drain, and return to pot.
• Add roasted vegetables, butter, parmesan, and basil to pot; season with salt and pepper, and toss gently with pasta to combine. Reheat over medium-low if necessary before serving.