Green Pasta Food

GREEN PASTA

Steps:

• Place zucchini in a bowl of warm water to soften.
• Boil pasta.
• Sauté spinach in olive oil, garlic, and roasted red peppers.
• Toss together with avocado after draining pasta, season with salt, pepper, and balsamic vinegar.
• Top with cheese.
• Broil for 2 minutes to get the cheese bubbly.

CREAMY GREEN PASTA

Steps:

• For the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Cook the pasta as per the package instructions (10 to 12 minutes).
• For the toasted breadcrumbs: Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the extra-virgin olive oil. Once hot, add the breadcrumbs, along with a good seasoning pinch of salt and pepper, and fry, stirring frequently, until golden and crisp, about 3 minutes. Now stir in the chopped parsley and tip out into a bowl. Set aside.
• Now add the olive oil to the same pan, then add the chopped leeks and broccoli florets and sauté until just cooked through, about 4 minutes. Stir in the peas, chopped spinach and B12 flakes.
• Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the plant-based cream. Return the pan to the heat and season with a big, generous pinch of sea salt and a generous helping of black pepper. Add the zest of the lemon.
• Drain the cooked pasta and add to the pan, tossing to coat in the sauce. Sprinkle with the crispy breadcrumbs and serve.

MEAN GREEN PASTA CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• For the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne and cook until al dente according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
• For the pureed greens: Meanwhile, add the spinach, arugula, basil, mint, parsley, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper and garlic to a food processor. With the machine running, drizzle in the olive oil and puree. Stop before the mixture is completely smooth; you want a bit of texture. Set aside.
• For the cheese sauce: Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour and mustard powder, whisking to combine. Cook, whisking constantly, for a minute or so. Pour in the milk, whisking constantly. Cook the sauce until thick and bubbly, 3 to 5 minutes. Whisk in the half-and-half, salt and pepper. Add the Cheddar, fontina and Monterey Jack. Stir until the cheese all melts.
• For the assembly: Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.
• Combine the melted butter, breadcrumbs and parsley in a small bowl.
• Add the cooked penne to the cheese sauce, making sure every noodle is covered in sauce. Next, stir in the pureed greens until barely combined. Pour the pasta mixture into the buttered baking pan and top evenly with the breadcrumbs. Bake until bubbly and golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
• If you are serving later, top the assembled casserole with aluminum foil and pop in the freezer. When you are ready to serve, allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight and bake the following day at 350 degrees F until golden brown and cooked through, about 1 hour covered and an additional 15 minutes uncovered.

GREEN PASTA DOUGH

Steps:

• Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil. Place a bowl filled with water and ice next to the stove top. Plunge the spinach into the boiling water and blanch for 1 minute. Remove from the boiling water with a slotted spoon and immerse in the ice water. When cooled, remove from the water, squeeze in a towel to dry and place in the bowl of a food processor. Puree until a very fine paste forms.
• Mound 3 1/2 cups of the flour in the center of a large wooden cutting board. Make a well in the middle of the flour and add the egg and spinach and the olive oil. Using a fork, beat together the eggs and oil and begin to incorporate the flour, starting with the inner rim of the well.
• As you expand the well, keep pushing the flour up from the base of the mound to retain the well shape. The dough will come together when half of the flour is incorporated.
• Start kneading the dough with both hands, using the palms of your hands. Once you have a cohesive mass, remove the dough from the board and scrape up and discard any leftover bits. Lightly re-flour the board and continue kneading for six more minutes. The dough should be elastic and a little sticky. Wrap the dough in plastic and allow to rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. Roll out to the thinnest setting on a pasta rolling machine. Cut the pasta into 1/4-inch wide ribbons, place on a sheet tray that has been liberally sprinkled with semolina flour, cover with clean towels and set aside.

SECRET GREEN SAUCE SPAGHETTI

Steps:

• Cook the spaghetti following pack instructions. Meanwhile, boil the kettle, put the spinach and peas in a bowl, and cover with boiling water. Leave for about 3 mins until the peas are tender, then drain well. Tip the veg into a food processor or blender, add the basil, pesto, cream and Parmesan, and whizz to make a smooth sauce.
• Drain the pasta, reserving a little of the cooking water, and return to the pan. Pour over the sauce and return to a low heat to cook for a few mins, until the sauce clings to the spaghetti. Add a little pasta water if it looks too dry, season to taste and serve with extra Parmesan and scattered with basil leaves, if you like.

LEMON & GREENS PESTO PASTA

Steps:

• Cook the pasta following pack instructions. Meanwhile, cook the broccoli for 4 mins in boiling salted water. Drain, then put in a food processor along with the basil, spinach and pine nuts. Pulse until combined.
• Stir in the garlic, lemon zest and juice, olive oil, peas, parmesan and soft cheese, and season to taste.
• Drain the pasta, reserving a little of the cooking water. Return the pasta to the pan and add the pesto along with a splash of water to loosen. Toss together, check the seasoning and serve.