Penne With Pesto Recipes

PESTO PENNE PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add penne pasta and a little bit salt, and cook till al dente (fully cooked but still firm) about 8-10 minutes, or according to package directions. Do not overcook the pasta. Turn off the heat and reserve at least 1/4 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta in a colander and let it cool for 1 minute.
• Transfer pasta into a large mixing bowl and add pesto and reserved pasta water (1/4 cup or more, if desired). Season with salt and pepper and toss well to coat. Stir in cherry tomatoes and parmesan cheese.
• Serve immediately. Sprinkle extra parmesan on top, if desired.

PENNE WITH CHICKEN AND PESTO

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
• Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute chicken and garlic until chicken is almost cooked. Reduce heat and stir in salt, pepper, cream, pesto and Parmesan cheese. Cook until chicken is no longer pink inside. Stir in cooked pasta.

PENNE WITH GARLIC PESTO

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine stock and garlic cloves. Simmer for about 5 minutes, or until garlic is soft. Alternatively, microwave on High for 5 minutes in a microwave safe bowl.
• Add basil to the bowl of a food processor; chop fine. Blend in stock mixture. Add Parmesan cheese and pine nuts; chop fine. Pesto can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 24 hours.
• Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water until al dente. Drain well, and return to pot. Stir in pesto to coat pasta. Toss with tomatoes.

SPINACH PESTO PENNE

Steps:

• Cook penne, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water. In a food processor, pulse spinach, walnuts, Parmesan, olive oil, and garlic. Toss pesto with penne and pasta water; season. Serve with ricotta.

BEEF AND BLUE CHEESE PENNE WITH PESTO

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions., Meanwhile, sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper. Grill steaks, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from heat 5-7 minutes on each side or until meat reaches desired doneness (for medium-rare, a thermometer should read 135°; medium, 140°; medium-well, 145°)., Drain pasta; transfer to a large bowl. Add spinach, tomatoes, pesto and walnuts; toss to coat. Cut steak into thin slices. Serve pasta mixture with beef; sprinkle with cheese.

PENNE WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATO PESTO

Steps:

• Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes.
• Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
• Meanwhile, blend the sun-dried tomatoes and their oil, garlic, salt and pepper, to taste, and basil in a food processor and blend until the tomatoes are finely chopped.
• Transfer the tomato mixture to a large bowl.
• Stir in the Parmesan.
• Add the pasta to the pesto and toss to coat, adding enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten.
• Season the pasta, to taste, with salt and pepper and serve.

CREAMY PESTO PENNE WITH VEGETABLE RIBBONS

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, cook pasta according to package directions, adding the edamame during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Meanwhile, using a vegetable peeler or metal cheese slicer, cut carrots and squash into very thin lengthwise strips., In a large skillet, saute onion in 1 tablespoon butter until tender. Add the vegetable strips and garlic; saute 2-3 minutes longer or until crisp-tender. Stir in the cream, pesto, salt and remaining butter. Bring to a gentle boil; cook for 2-4 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened and vegetables are tender., Drain pasta and edamame; toss with vegetable mixture. Sprinkle with walnuts.

PENNE WITH PEA PESTO

Steps:

• Cook peas on the stove or in a microwave according to package directions, then drain well.
• With food processor running, drop in garlic and finely chop. Turn off motor and add peas, nuts, cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, then process until finely chopped. With motor running, add oil, blending until incorporated.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pasta pot of boiling salted water (3 tablespoons salt for 6 quarts water) until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta-cooking water, then drain pasta in a colander.
• Toss pasta with pea pesto and thin as desired with reserved cooking water. Season with freshly ground pepper.

PENNE WITH PESTO AND FRESH PARMESAN

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package instructions.
• While pasta cooks, rinse tomatoes and basil and pat dry. Cut tomatoes into large chunks.
• Place tomatoes in a blender/food processor, add basil, almonds, garlic, red pepper flakes, and salt. Blend for 1 minute or until smooth.
• While machine still running, add olive oil in a steady steam (it will emulsify the mixture into a thick pesto).
• Scrape pesto into a large bowl. Drop drained pasta onto pesto and toss quickly to coat. Sprinkle on cheese and toss again.
• Enjoy!

PENNE WITH MUSHROOM PESTO

Steps:

• In a 6-quart kettle bring 5 quarts salted water to a boil for pasta.
• Make pesto:
• In a 10- to 12-inch non-stick skillet heat 1 tablespoon oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté mushrooms with Worcestershire sauce, Sherry, and salt and pepper to taste, stirring, until liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated and mushrooms begin to brown, about 10 minutes.
• In a food processor purée mushroom mixture with garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan, and remaining 3 tablespoons oil. Add parsley and blend until parsley is chopped fine. Pesto keeps, surface covered with plastic wrap, chilled, 1 week.
• Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking water and drain pasta.
• In a large bowl whisk together pesto and 2/3 cup reserved hot cooking water. Add pasta and toss well, thinning pesto, if necessary, with remaining reserved cooking water.