Pasta Pesto And Feta Toss Food

PESTO PASTA TOSS

Steps:

• Cook pasta as directed on package; drain.
• Toss with remaining ingredients.

ANGEL HAIR PASTA WITH PESTO

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta. Combine the basil, pine nuts, garlic, and olive oil in a blender and blend to a puree. Add the cheese, salt and pepper, and blend again.
• Cook the pasta in the boiling, salted water until al dente, about 3 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Add the pesto and toss. Taste for salt and pepper, and add a drizzle of oil, if you like.

BOW TIES WITH PESTO, FETA AND CHERRY TOMATOES

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Stir in the bow ties and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain the pasta and run it under cold water just until it stops steaming. Bounce the pasta around to get rid of as much water as you can.
• Dump the pasta into a large serving bowl. Stir in the pesto until the pasta is coated. Toss in the cherry tomatoes and the crumbled feta. Taste the salad and season it as you like with salt and pepper. You can make the salad up to about 1 hour before you serve it. Check out the salt and pepper just before you serve the salad. If it's looking a little dry, add some olive oil and stir it around.
• Pesto:
• 5 big handfuls basil leaves (about 2 hefty bunches)
• 1/2 cup pine nuts or 3/4 cup walnuts
• 1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese
• Juice of 1 small lemon
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• Kosher salt
• About 20 grinds freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Place all ingredients with 1/2 cup of the oil in a blender and blend. Gradually drizzle in the remaining 1/4 cup of oil until pesto is thick and smooth.
• Yield: about 1 1/2 cups

PESTO PASTA

Steps:

• Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water until done. Drain.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan over medium low heat. Add pesto, onion, and salt and pepper. Cook about five minutes, or until onions are soft.
• In a large bowl, mix pesto mixture into pasta. Stir in grated cheese. Serve.

PASTA, PESTO AND FETA TOSS

Steps:

• Cook pasta as directed and drain.
• Toss remaining ingredients with hot pasta.
• Can be made ahead and enjoyed cold.
• Prepare as directed, cover, refrigerate until serving.

DEXTER'S MEDITERRANEAN PASTA TOSS

Steps:

• 1. Heat sauté pan to medium hot. Season shrimp with salt and pepper and fennel. To pan, add butter and shrimp. Sauté until spices are singed. They should be a little brown and nutty. Add the garlic and toss. Add the artichokes, olives, tomatoes and another pinch of salt and pepper. Do not toss ingredients. Immediately refresh pan with the white wine to let the wine absorb the seasonings and cook the garlic. Toss ingredients and let alcohol cook off and reduce in volume by half. Add chicken broth to moisten.
• 2. Add pesto, tossing until ingredients are evenly coated, then throw in pasta and heat everything back up.
• 3. Just before plating add spinach. Toss again and when spinach is wilted, plate immediately. Sprinkle crumbled feta on top.
• Chef's note: You can sub out the shrimp for chunks of chicken or sauté the dish without meat. Recipe can be multiplied for more people, but this dish really works the best when sautéed in a hot pan for one person.

FETA PESTO

Steps:

• In a food processor, combine the basil, feta cheese, Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, artichoke heart, and sun-dried tomatoes. Cover, and pulse, adding oil as needed to facilitate blending until smooth. Taste, and season with salt and pepper.

SPINACH PESTO PASTA WITH OLIVES

Steps:

• Boil the pasta according to pack instructions. Meanwhile, boil a kettle of water, then slowly pour over the spinach in a colander until it wilts. Shake off the excess water, then put the spinach into a food processor.
• Add the garlic, oil, half of the cheese and most of the pine nuts to the processor with the spinach, then pulse to a pesto-like sauce. Season with the nutmeg and salt and pepper. Stir through the hot, drained pasta and serve topped with the olives and the remaining crumbled cheese and pine nuts.