Rigatoni With Green Olive Almond Pesto Recipes

RIGATONI WITH GREENS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until just short of al dente, 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 1/4 cups of the pasta water.
• Meanwhile, heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chickpeas and cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until golden brown and crispy, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, chile flakes and capers and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Stir in the Swiss chard and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook until wilted, 3 minutes. Add 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water and simmer for 1 minute. Add the drained pasta and sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups of the Parmesan and the lemon zest; toss well to coat. Add 1 cup more of the reserved pasta water and the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil. Simmer until the pasta is al dente, the sauce has thickened and the flavors have come together, 2 minutes. Top with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan and serve.

RIGATONI WITH GREEN OLIVE-ALMOND PESTO

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.
• Drain pasta, reserving 6 tablespoons cooking liquid.
• Place olives, sliced almonds, parsley leaves, black pepper, and garlic in a food processor; pulse 3 times or until coarsely chopped.
• With processor on, add 2 tablespoons water and 1 teaspoon vinegar through the food chute, processing until mixture is finely chopped.
• Combine pasta, 1/4 cup reserved cooking liquid, and olive mixture in a large bowl; toss well.
• Add enough of remaining 2 tablespoons cooking liquid to make pasta mixture moist, tossing well to coat.
• Sprinkle with cheese.
• Serve hot 1 2/3 cup servings.

BAKED RIGATONI WITH RED PEPPERS AND GREEN OLIVES

Steps:

• Heat oil in a medium Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high. Cook onion and garlic, stirring occasionally, until onion is slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Add roasted red peppers and salt; season with black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is jammy, 8-10 minutes. Add olives, tomato paste, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring often, until tomato paste is slightly darkened in color, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, crushing with your hands as you go, and their liquid and cook, stirring often, until slightly thickened, about 4 minutes.
• While sauce is cooking, place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350°. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente (about 2 minute less than package directions; pasta will continue to cook in the oven). Drain pasta, reserving ⅓ cup pasta cooking liquid.
• Add pasta and reserved pasta cooking liquid to sauce. Reduce heat to medium and stir in butter, oregano, and half of Parmesan. Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened and glossy and coats pasta, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in half of mozzarella.
• Transfer pasta to a 13x9" baking dish and spread into an even layer. Scatter remaining Parmesan and mozzarella over. Bake until bubbling around the edges, 15-20 minutes.
• Heat broiler. Broil pasta until top is brown and crisp in spots, about 3 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes, then top with basil for serving.

GREEN OLIVE PESTO

Steps:

• In a food processor purée the olives with the pine nuts, the garlic paste, and the parsley, with the motor running add the oil in a stream and the Parmesan, and blend the mixture well. Serve the pesto with 1 pound pasta, cooked and drained, reserving 3/4 cup of the pasta liquid to thin the pesto. Or serve the pesto as a spread with crackers.