Gemelli With Roasted Asparagus And Walnut Pesto Food

ASPARAGUS WITH WALNUTS

Steps:

• 1. Fill a large bowl halfway with ice cubes and add some cold water. Place a colander squarely inside the ice bath. The colander will keep you from having to pick the asparagus out from amongst the ice cubes in the ice bath.
• 2. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 teaspoon salt. Add the asparagus and cook for 1 to 1½ minutes. You want them to be crunchy. If the asparagus are thicker, cook for 1½ to 2 minutes.
• 3. Remove the asparagus from the water using a slotted spoon and transfer them to the colander inside the ice bath. Move them around gently so the ice water penetrates the asparagus and accelerates the cooling process. Vegetables take longer than you think to cool so allow them to sit a few minutes in the ice water. Hold a piece of the asparagus in your hand for a few seconds to assure that it's really cool (even in the center). If the piece still feels warm, allow them to cool longer in the ice bath. Place them on a kitchen towel to drain any excess moisture.
• 4. Heat oil a medium skillet until hot (but not smoking), add the walnuts and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt. They should bubble and fry slightly in the oil. When you can smell the walnuts, add the paprika and cayenne and lower the heat to medium. Cook for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly, and transfer the mixture to a bowl. Set aside.
• 5. Toss the asparagus in the bowl with the walnuts and the oil. Let this mixture sit in the refrigerator for a few hours or a few minutes. When ready to serve, stir in the lemon juice. Serve immediately.

GEMELLI WITH KALE PESTO AND OLIVES

Steps:

• For the pesto: Place the walnuts, garlic and kale in a food processor. Pulse until coarsely chopped. With the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil to form a smooth sauce. Add the salt, pepper flakes, orange zest, orange juice and Parmesan. Pulse until well blended. Pour the pesto into a large bowl and set aside.
• For the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the gemelli and cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water. Add the hot pasta to the bowl with the pesto, and toss well with a rubber spatula to coat. Add the chicken, the Cerignola and Kalamata olives, and the salt and Parmesan. Toss again. Loosen with pasta water as needed. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil if desired.

GEMELLI PASTA WITH ROASTED PUMPKIN AND PANCETTA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Pile diced pumpkin on the baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and toss lightly to coat. Spread pumpkin out and sprinkle with thyme, salt, and pepper.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove and set aside.
• Bring a large pot of unsalted water to a boil. Add gemelli pasta and boil until just nearly tender, about 9 minutes.
• Heat remaining olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add pancetta and cook until starting to brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the roasted pumpkin and cook, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes more. Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil.
• Drain pasta and add to the pan with the pumpkin mixture. Continue cooking until pasta is tender yet firm to the bite, 1 to 2 minutes more. Serve immediately, topped with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

ROASTED ASPARAGUS WITH PESTO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Mix pesto with garlic and oil and toss with asparagus on a baking sheet.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Roast in a preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until done to your.
• liking.
• Sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan cheese and serve hot.

GEMELLI WITH ROASTED ASPARAGUS AND WALNUT PESTO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees 1. Combine walnuts, grated pecorino and garlic in a food processor and pulse to chop. 2. Add juice from half the lemon (reserve the other half), olive oil and truffle oil and mix in food processor about 60 seconds, until combined in a thick paste. 3. Boil pasta, as directed. 4. Trim ends from asparagus and chop into 1/2 inch pieces. Toss asparagus with juice from reserved half of lemon, salt and pepper to taste and drizzle with olive oil. Spread on cookie sheet and roast for 7-10 minutes, depending on thickness of stalks. 5. When pasta is ready, drain, and while it is still hot, toss with walnut pesto. Remove asparagus from oven and toss into pasta mixture. 6. Top with prosciutto ribbons and garnish with pecorino shavings.

GEMELLI WITH SHRIMP, TOMATOES AND WALNUT-PARSLEY SAUCE

Steps:

• Blend parsley, 3/4 cup walnuts, 5 teaspoons garlic and lemon peel in processor until nuts are finely chopped. With machine running, gradually add oil and blend until coarse paste forms. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.Cook pasta in pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add remaining 1 teaspoon garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Add shrimp; sauté 2 minutes. Add lemon juice and simmer until shrimp are just opaque in center, about 2 minutes.Drain pasta well; return to same pot. Add parsley sauce; toss until coated. Mix in shrimp and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper; top with 1/4 cup walnuts.

GEMELLI WITH ASPARAGUS, MOZZARELLA, AND BACON

Steps:

• Snap off and discard the tough ends of the asparagus. Cut the asparagus into 1-inch pieces on the bias; set aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until bacon is crisp and all the fat has been rendered, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the bacon from pan, and drain on paper towels. Crumble the cooked bacon, and set aside. Remove skillet from heat.
• Add the pasta to the boiling water, and cook until al dente, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain pasta in a colander; set aside.
• Meanwhile, discard all but 1/4 cup bacon fat, and return the skillet to medium heat. Add the asparagus and the red-pepper flakes to the skillet. Cook until the asparagus is lightly browned. Drain the pasta, and add to skillet with the crumbled bacon, and the marjoram; season with salt. Toss together until combined and heated through. Remove the skillet from the heat.
• Add the mozzarella, and toss to combine. Divide the pasta among six plates. Garnish each serving with a grind of black pepper, and serve immediately.

GEMELLI WITH ASPARAGUS AND PINE NUTS

Steps:

• Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the pine nuts and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Immediately remove from skillet and transfer to a small bowl; set aside.
• Return the skillet to medium heat and add the oil. Add the asparagus and garlic and cook, stirring often, until the asparagus is slightly tender, 4-5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and return to the pot.
• Add the asparagus and garlic mixture, reserved pine nuts, lemon juice, salt and lemon-pepper seasoning; toss gently to combine, serve at once.