Pasta With Herbed Ricotta And Pine Nuts Food

ONE-POT PENNE WITH SPINACH, RICOTTA, AND PINE NUTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread pine nuts on a rimmed baking sheet; toast in oven, tossing occasionally, until golden, 6 to 8 minutes; set aside.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook according to manufacturer's directions. Add spinach during last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain; return pasta and spinach to pot. Add oil; season generously with salt and pepper. Toss well.
• Serve immediately, topped with ricotta, pine nuts, and Parmesan.

HOMEMADE HERBED PASTA WITH FETA, LEMON AND PINE NUTS

Steps:

• For the pasta: Sift the flours into a pile on a clean work surface. Create a 6-inch well in the middle. Add the parsley, olive oil, eggs and yolks, 1 teaspoon salt and 2 teaspoons pepper to the well. Whisk gently with a fork. When the center is combined, begin to incorporate the flours into the eggs a little at a time. Once you can no longer use your fork, use your hands to knead the dough. When the dough is shaggy, knead the dough until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Divide the dough into 2. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 30 minutes.
• Roll out the dough, using semolina flour as needed. The pasta should be about 2 centimeters thick. Fold the pasta in half lengthwise, then in half again. Slice into 3/4-inch wide ribbons, or desired width. Shake out the noodles and hold in nests.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it ferociously. Cook the pasta to al dente, about 3 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving 2 cups pasta water.
• For the feta, lemon and pine nut sauce: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until a drop of water sizzles when flicked across the surface. Add the pine nuts and garlic and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add the preserved lemon and 1 cup mint and cook, stirring, for another 1 to 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of the reserved pasta water. Allow it to cook down and reduce for another minute. Add the cooked pasta to the skillet, reduce the heat to low and toss the pasta to coat it evenly in the mixture. Add more pasta water if it needs a bit more sauce. Add about 20 turns of black pepper and top with the feta, a few pinches of crushed red pepper and the remaining 1 cup mint. Serve immediately and enjoy.

PASTA WITH BACON, CHEESE, LEMON AND PINE NUTS

Steps:

• Put a large pot of salted water on to boil. Put the cheese, herbs and red pepper flakes on the table. Zest the lemon and put the zest on the table in a small serving bowl. Cut the lemon in half.
• Put bacon in a medium-size heavy pot and turn the heat on low. Cook, turning occasionally, until fat has rendered and bacon is chewy-crisp, about 10 minutes. Lift out bacon pieces and drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Keep warm on top of the stove.
• When the water boils, add pasta, stir well and cover. When the water comes back to the boil, uncover and stir again.
• Put 4 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan and melt it over medium-low heat. When it foams, throw in the pine nuts and cook, shaking the pan, until they turn brown and toasty. Turn off heat and squeeze the lemon into the pan, cupping your hand underneath to catch any pits. Stir and set aside. Transfer bacon to a serving bowl and place on the table.
• As soon as the pasta is tender (it will cook a bit more later on), drain it, reserving a cup of the cooking water. Immediately return the pasta to the pan over low heat. Toss in a chunk of butter. Add a splash of cooking water and a pinch of salt, stir well, cover and let rest 1 minute. Taste and adjust the seasonings until the pasta is completely cooked and tasty (but plain).
• For those who like plain pasta or pasta with just butter and cheese, set aside a good amount in serving bowls. For others, pour the pine nuts and butter into the pasta remaining in the pot, add another splash of cooking water, and toss to combine. Serve from the pot or in a serving bowl, passing the various toppings.

CREAMY PASTA WITH RICOTTA AND HERBS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve 2 cups pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
• In the same pot, make the sauce: Add ricotta, Parmesan, olive oil, pepper and a large pinch or two of salt, and stir until well combined.
• Add 1 cup pasta water to the sauce and stir until smooth. Add the pasta and herbs, and continue to stir vigorously until the noodles are well coated. Add more pasta water as needed for a smooth, soupy sauce. Taste and add more salt if needed.
• To serve, spoon the pasta into bowls and finish with more Parmesan, olive oil and pepper.

RUFFLED PASTA IN HERBED RICOTTA AND PINE NUT BROWN BUTTER

Steps:

• Stir together ricotta, Parmigiano-Reggiano, herbs, pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large serving bowl.
• Cook pasta in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente.
• Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain pasta in a colander.
• While pasta is boiling, heat butter and oil in a deep 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until foam subsides. Add pine nuts and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, until nut and butter mixture is golden brown, about 3 minutes.
• Add drained pasta to pine nut butter along with 1/3 cup of reserved pasta cooking water and stir to coat.
• Thin ricotta mixture with 1/2 cup more of reserved cooking water, then add pasta and toss to combine.
• Thin with some of remaining reserved cooking water if necessary. Serve immediately.

PASTA WITH HERBED RICOTTA AND PINE NUTS

Steps:

• GARNISH: halved cherry tomatoes, parsley sprigs, sweet red pepper strips, steamed asparagus spears, or sauteed mushroom caps dusted with paprika.
• Boil a large pot of warer; cook pasta until al dente.
• While pasta is cooking, in a small skillet, melt margarine.
• Add pine nuts and onion, stirring occasionally over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until pine nuts are lightly browned and onion is softened.
• Set aside.
• In a small bowl, beat cheese with remaining ingredients.
• Stir in pine nuts and onion.
• When pasta is done, drain well; toss with sauce.
• Top with freshly ground pepper and garnishes.
• VARIATIONS: - substitute raw cashews for pine nuts

COURGETTE & RICOTTA PASTA

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Cook the shallot and courgettes for 8 mins until softened. When they are just beginning to colour, add the garlic and cook for 2 mins more.
• Cook the pasta following pack instructions. Drain, reserving a little of the water. Tip the pasta into the courgette pan with the basil, lemon zest, Parmesan and pine nuts. Season, dot over the ricotta and mix gently so that you don't break it up too much. Serve sprinkled with extra Parmesan, if you like.

HERBED ORZO WITH PINE NUTS

Steps:

• Cook orzo in boiling water until al dente. Drain well and transfer to bowl. Toss with butter, garlic, pine nuts, lemon juice, basil and parsley.
• Taste to see if you would prefer salt and pepper or a more lemony taste.
• Tip:.
• f using dried herbs reduce the amount to 1 Teaspoon each.

PASTA WITH HERBED RICOTTA, TOMATOES AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Blanch the rinsed spinach leaves in a large pot of well-salted boiling water until limp, about 1 minute. Drain the spinach and cool completely under cold running water. Pat dry and chop.
• Put the ricotta cheese in a large bowl and beat with a fork until smooth. Stir in the spinach, scallions, basil, tomatoes, parsley and olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Cook the penne until tender in well-salted boiling water. Drain, toss with the ricotta mixture, garnish with the pine nuts and serve immediately.

RUFFLED PASTA WITH HERBED RICOTTA AND PINE NUT BROWN BUTTER

Steps:

• Stir together ricotta, Parmigiano-Reggiano, herbs, pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large serving bowl.
• Cook pasta in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain pasta in a colander.
• While pasta is boiling, heat butter and oil in a deep 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until foam subsides. Add pine nuts and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, until nut and butter mixture is golden brown, about 3 minutes.
• Add drained pasta to pine nut butter along with 1/3 cup of reserved pasta cooking water and stir to coat. Thin ricotta mixture with 1/2 cup more of reserved cooking water, then add pasta and toss to combine. Thin with some of remaining reserved cooking water if necessary. Serve immediately.

SPINACH-FETA PENNE WITH PINE NUTS

Steps:

• Cook penne pasta according to package directions.
• As pasta is cooking, toast pine nuts lightly in a small skillet over medium-low heat, stirring frequently and keeping a close eye on them to prevent burning.
• Remove pine nuts from heat when lightly browned, after about 1-2 minutes.
• Set aside pine nuts.
• Drain cooked pasta and set aside.
• Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet or wok.
• Add garlic and saute over medium heat for about 30 seconds, being careful not to let garlic brown.
• Stir in cooked pasta.
• Stir in feta and Parmesan cheese and cook for a 2-3 minutes, until feta cheese just starts to melt and pasta and cheese is thoroughly heated through.
• Stir in spinach and continue to heat until spinach barely starts to wilt.
• Take pasta off heat and stir in the toasted pine nuts.
• Transfer to serving dish and serve.

RICOTTA AND HERB RAVIOLI WITH SAGE BUTTER AND PINE NUTS

Steps:

• Put the pasta flour into a food processor and add the egg and olive oil. Pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Tip into a bowl and bring together with your hands to form a ball of dough. Transfer to a lightly floured board and knead until smooth (don't worry if the dough feels a bit stiff, as it will soften slightly on resting). Wrap in clingfilm and set aside to rest for 20 minutes.
• In a bowl, mix the ricotta, herbs, Parmesan and some seasoning. Set aside.
• Cut the dough in half, then roll out each piece in a pasta machine, dusting with flour to stop it sticking. Use the thickest setting for the first three passes, folding the sheet into three before putting it through again, then reduce the settings as you continue until you have a very thin, almost transparent sheet of pasta measuring roughly 85x9cm (33x3 1/2in). Cut the large pasta sheet in half to get two shorter lengths. Repeat with the remaining dough, until you have four sheets of pasta in total. If you don't have a pasta machine, divide the dough into four pieces and use a rolling pin to roll them out as thinly as possible into long rectangles.
• Lay the pasta sheets on a board dusted with a little flour. Dollop 5tsp of the ricotta filling along 2 of the sheets, leaving a little gap between each. Brush a little water around the mixture, then loosely cover each piece with one of the remaining pasta strips. Working quickly, seal the sheets together by pressing around the blobs of filling, extracting any air. Cut into squares using a pasta cutter or sharp knife to make 10 ravioli. If you have time, leave them on a wire rack to dry for 30 minutes.
• Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Using a slotted spoon, gently lower the ravioli into the pan and cook for 3-5 minutes or until they float up to the surface.
• Meanwhile, melt the butter in a frying pan until foaming. Add the sage leaves and cook on both sides. Stir in the pine nuts, then season well and remove from the heat.
• Using the slotted spoon, lift the ravioli out of the pan, draining well. To serve, divide them between two plates, then spoon over the buttery sauce, sage, and pine nuts. Add a squeeze of lemon and serve immediately with extra Parmesan scattered over.