Cottage Cheese Pesto Food

COTTAGE CHEESE PESTO

Steps:

• Put the garlic into a food processor and process until finely chopped. Scrape down sides of the bowl.
• Add the basil. Process until finely chopped and scrape down sides of the bowl.
• Add cottage cheese, yogurt, olive oil, and parmesan. Process until smooth and cream.
• If using as a pasta sauce, dilute with a spoonful of the pasta cooking water.

COTTAGE CHEESE PASTA WITH TOMATOES, SCALLIONS AND CURRANTS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Put currants in a small bowl and ladle a little of the boiling water over them to cover. Let soak for 10 minutes, then drain.
• Meanwhile, salt the remaining water in the pot. When it returns to a boil, add pasta. Cook according to package instructions until al dente, usually 1 minute less than the package directs. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking water.
• In a large serving bowl, combine scallions, tomatoes, lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
• When the currants are soaked, add them to the bowl with the tomatoes and toss to combine. Stir in 2 tablespoons olive oil.
• Add pasta to the serving bowl, along with cottage cheese, pepper and a few splashes of reserved pasta water (about 1/4 cup), and toss until evenly coated. If pasta looks dry, add a little more pasta cooking water, a tablespoon at a time. Stir in herbs. Taste, and add more salt and lemon, if needed.
• To serve, top with a dusting of ground cinnamon (if you like), flaky salt, a lot of black pepper, and more olive oil and herbs. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

SPAGHETTI WITH COTTAGE CHEESE PESTO

Steps:

• For pesto, in a blender container or food processor bowl combine spinach, water, cottage cheese, basil, parmesan cheese, oil and garlic.
• Cover and blend or process until smooth.
• Spoon half of the pesto (about 1/2 cup) over the hot pasta. Toss to mix well. Serve immediately.

RIVER COTTAGE SORREL PESTO WITH GOAT'S CHEESE

Steps:

• In a small frying pan over a medium heat, lightly toast the pine nuts until they're just beginning to turn golden, then tip out into a food processor. Add the garlic, sorrel, parsley and a pinch of salt to the pine nuts, then pulse a few times until roughly chopped and combined. Slowly pour in the olive oil, pulsing as you go, until the pesto is the consistency you like.
• Spoon the pesto mixture into a bowl and stir in the goat's cheese. The pesto will keep, sealed in a jar with a slick of olive oil over the top, for about a week.