Classic Basil Pesto is my all time favorite recipe!

If you were to ask what food I could eat for the rest of my life, I would most definitely cut you off by saying ‘anything pesto!’. I’m OBSESSED and don’t foresee this changing anytime soon. I love classic basil pesto sooo much that when I get a dog, I’m going to name him pesto! Cute right? You must have a seriously good personality to rock a name like Pesto!

All jokes aside, classic basil pesto is so delicious and you can put it on anything.  After a few years of force feeding my partner pesto recipes, I’m happy to say he loves it almost as much as I do. You can’t go wrong with a classic basil pesto pasta or on home made pizza but lately I’ve been enjoying it over roasted vegetables, spread on fresh baked bread, in salad dressings and dips.

USE FRESHLY GRATED PARMEGIANO REGGIANO FOR BEST RESULTS

This recipe yields one cup of prepared pesto. If you’re not planning on enjoying the pesto right away, make sure you cover it with a thin layer of olive oil. This will keep it from turning brown and add longevity to your green pesto. Make sure the jar is sealed tightly and keep in the fridge for 3 days. I make this recipe a couple of times a month and normally double the recipe.

If you’re planning to freeze your pesto, don’t mix in the grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Wait until the pesto is defrosted and you’re ready to eat it, then mix it in. Parmigiano Reggiano loses a lot of its flavor once grated, so freshly grated parmesan will make for a more flavorful Pesto.

GET MAXIMUM SHELF LIFE BY STORING PINE NUTS IN FREEZER FOR UP TO 3 MONTHS

The ratios in pesto differ slightly depending on your specific taste. After making this recipe a few times, you’ll know how to make ‘your perfect pesto’.

Have fun! xx

Classic Basil Pesto

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

5 mins

Total time

20 mins

 

Author: Peony

Recipe type: Sauce, Dip, Spread

Serves: 1 cup

Ingredients

• 3 cups basil(preferably sweet basil), packed
• ⅛ cup pine nuts, toasted
• ⅛ cup walnuts, toasted
• 2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• ¾ cup GOOD Olive Oil
• ½ cup Parmesan, freshly grated
• ¼ tsp freshly ground pepper
• ½ tsp salt

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients except for olive oil and parmigiano reggiano in the food processor and pulse.
2. With the motor running, slowly pour the olive oil into the feed tube and process, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed,
3. Transfer to bowl and stir in parmigiano reggiano. You can also add parmigiano reggiano to food processor but I prefer the consistency of stirring it in.
4. If freezing, transfer to an air tight container and drizzle the remaining olive oil over the top. Add the parmesan when you're ready to eat the pesto, after de-thawing!

Notes

You can use all pine nuts or all walnuts, depending on preference and allergies. I use all walnuts when I'm cooking for my friend who is allergic to pine nuts.

3.3.3077

The post Classic Basil Pesto appeared first on The Peony Life.

Mushroom & Arugula Fusili with Pistachio Mint Pesto

This addicting recipe transpired when I had a craving for pesto pasta but didn’t have any basil at home. My basil obsession prevailed and we ate our entire supply. I’m still impatiently waiting on a new batch to flourish. In the mean time, what could I make that would satisfy my craving?

My ‘newish’ mission is to try my best to use what I already have, in efforts to decrease my household waste. I feel enormous guilt when I throw away food and well, essentially money. Anyhoo, I remembered I had a whole whack of mint from the farmers market, and  I thought that combined with pistachios and a few key ingredients; it would make deliciously smooth and fresh pesto.

TIME SAVER ALERT! Buy shelled pistachios to save time!

Pistachios are a tree nut that are high in protein and rich in dietary fiber. Pistachio trees are commonly found in Turkey, Greece, Italy, Iran, Syria, Lebanon and right here in California, to name a few. They are a ridiculously great source of vitamin E, which is key for healthy skin, eyes and a strong immune system.

I must confess I’m a Trader Joe’s-aholic and I buy most of my nuts there, among other things. They have super convenient shelled pistachios and they are very reasonably priced. I mainly love them because they save me SO MUCH time and I truly dislike the tedious task of removing the shells myself. If you live in Canada and don’t have access to TJ’s, I’ve found them in bulk at some Whole Foods & Safeway stores. I always go for the unsalted ones so I never end up with an over salted recipe. You can always add more but you can’t take it away!

MINT+EVOO+PISTACHIOS+SCALLIONS+GARLIC+PECORINO ROMANO

Heads up I add a lot of garlic to this recipe! I use two large cloves or 3 small,  so please adjust your recipe accordingly depending on preference. I also wait and fold in the green onions and pecorino into the pesto after removing it from the food processor. I just like the texture better that way but feel free to tweak whatever you like.

Stir scallions & Pecorino Romano into the pesto by hand.

This recipe can easily be adapted to a vegetarian recipe by skipping the pancetta. I would probably make it vegetarian style more often if I was just cooking for myself, but my fiancé really loves this dish with pancetta.

Don’t forget to reserve 1 cup of pasta water. This is very important! Add it slowly one tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency. Adding the pasta water slowly to the pesto pasta adds a rich & creamy component to this dish. Be careful not to add too much at a time.

SERVE THIS DISH FAMILY STYLE IN A BIG PASTA BOWL

Mushroom & Arugula Fusili with Pistachio Mint Pesto is one of my favorite go-to’s when hosting a casual dinner with friends & family. I love to serve this family style in a big pasta bowl and let everyone serve themselves. I put out little bowls of grated Pecorino Romano, shelled pistachios and mint on a tray and everyone can add the final touches to their pasta. People always go in for seconds of this recipe and I never have any leftovers! This recipe will definitely be made again & again at my house!

Enjoy!

Mushroom & Arugula Fusili with Pistachio Mint Pesto

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

30 mins

 

Author: Peony

Recipe type: Pasta

Cuisine: Italian

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup dry roasted pistachios, shelled
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ½ cup parmigiano reggiano or pecorino romano, finely grated
• 2 cloves garlic, quartered
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• ½ cup mint, loosely chopped
• 3 tbsp parsley, loosely chopped
• 227g small crimini mushrooms, ends trimmed and halved or quartered, dependent on size
• 4 cups arugula, washed and dried
• 8 ounces pancetta, diced
• 454g whole wheat fusili pasta, cooked slightly before al dente
• salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add dried fusili pasta and cook until just before al dente. Use the instructions on the back of the package as a guide but check several times to avoid overcooking. You want to stop the cooking process a little bit before al dente and rinse with cold water. When we mix the pasta later it will cook a little bit more and we don't want overcooked pasta. Remember to reserve 1½ cups pasta water for later. This is very important!! I always take some out during the last stages of boiling process before draining the pasta so I don't forget.
2. Combine pistachios, garlic and mint in the food processor and pulse until a loose paste forms.
3. Add olive oil and a little bit of kosher salt and pulse until smooth.
4. Fold in parmigiano regianno and scallions into pesto mixture.
5. Return the large pot to the burner and add 1 tbsp olive oil or butter and heat over medium high heat.
6. Add pancetta and sauté for 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and sauté for another 3 minutes.
7. Add 2 tbsp pasta water and use a wooden spoon to scrap bottom of the pot .
8. Turn to low heat and add pasta to the pot.
9. Add pistachio pesto to the pasta and toss to coat, adding pasta water to thin out the sauce and enhance the creaminess of the dish.
10. Serve on a lush bed of arugula and finish with a generous amount of freshly ground pepper.
11. I love to serve this dish family style and leave the big bowl at the table because people always want seconds of this!
12. Have freshly grated parmigiano reggiano, roasted pistachios and mint and let everyone top their own.

Notes

I love to serve this dish family style and leave the big bowl at the table because people always want seconds of this dish!
Have freshly grated parmigiano reggiano, roasted pistachios and mint and let everyone top their own.

3.2.1311

The post Mushroom & Arugula Fusili with Pistachio Mint Pesto appeared first on The Peony Life.

THIS IS WHAT PEOPLE WOULD CALL A ‘PANTRY PASTA’

Wondering what to do with that day old baguette? This pasta totally transpired on a whim because I was absolutely sick of throwing things away!!! I feel like every week I’m throwing out veggies or leftovers we thought we would eat. It really irritates me. This year I’m really trying to use what I have, with efforts to reduce the amount of waste I produce on a daily basis. I’m making a conscious effort to think of ways to use whatever produce or ingredients I have at home before heading to the market. It’s been such a fun challenge and definitely something I will continue to adopt into my everyday routine.  I really enjoy how it challenges me to get creative and be resourceful with what I have on hand.

The first thing I saw in my kitchen were two half-loaves of bread that I had made a few days prior. I would have to use them or toss them, so I opted to make my own herbed croutons and add them to a simple & slightly spicy pasta. I knew Rez would love it so much that it may be his new favorite dish of mine. I tease Rez that he could survive on salami & olives alone, but its actually true. I’ve never seen someone love something so much, that eat it every single day, often twice. That’s commitment.

As I write this post I can’t help but think, this would be something you would crave after a bad hangover. Just hear me out! We’ve all had those nights and if you’re like me, they will ruin your entire day. I can’t do it like I used to, that’s for sure.

This is what a hangover looks like when you’re 29: You wake up after a vivid dream of chugging a massive bottle of water, pop 2 Advils, drink more water, announce to whoever is around that ‘YOU’RE DYING’ and ‘you’re never ever drinking again, no matter how many times you’ve said it before’. Then you’ll probably take a nap, drink more water, stare at yourself in the mirror for far too long, willing it to stop. Fall asleep again somewhere else in your house (like the couch), maybe leave your apartment to grab something to eat (the struggle is real) and watch some netflix. Eff it, just start a freaking marathon because who are you kidding the day is over. After you’ve successfully lost the entire day to your hangover, you suddenly get this burst of energy and are famished.  What to make? What do you want? THIS pasta is what you want!

It’s also good for any other day but this will cure your adult hangover just nicely!

Rustic Pasta with fresh Bread Crumbs

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

40 mins

 

A nice and hearty dish. It's very simple and delicious. Great way to use leftover or stale bread.

Author: Peony

Recipe type: Main

Cuisine: Italian

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 3 cups of bread, cut into small cubes
• 3 tbsp olive oil or butter
• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme, torn
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 pound dry spagetti
• 3 ounces spicy salami(like Hungarian or Genoa), diced
• 1 red pepper, finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• ⅓ cup black kalamata olives
• ½ cup freshly grated parmesan
• kosher salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
• olive oil for drizzling
• parsley for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix melted butter/olive oil, garlic powder, rosemary, thyme and salt until garlic powder is dissolved.
3. Toss butter mixture with cubed bread in a medium bowl until cubes are evenly coated.
4. Spread coated bread cubes on a cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes.
5. Stir the croutons and return to the oven for 10 more minutes.
6. Remove when they are crisp & golden brown.
7. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat
8. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil+red pepper flakes in a 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until the pepper flakes are sizzling, about 5 minutes.
9. Turn the heat up to medium, add the salami+pepper and sautee for about 3-5 minutes.
10. Add the breadcrumbs+olives+garlic and stir for 1 minute to combine.
11. Remove from the heat.
12. Cook the pasta in the boiling water according to package directions until al dente.
13. Reserve ½ cup of the cooking water and drain the pasta. Immediately return the pasta to the pot over medium-low heat.
14. Add the grated parmesan+1/2 the breadcrumb mixture and toss to combine. If necessary, add some of the reserved cooking water to moisten.
15. Season to taste with salt & freshly ground pepper. Serve sprinkled with the remaining breadcrumbs+parsley.

Notes

Be careful not to burn the croutons. Use my timeline simply as a suggestion because every oven is different.

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The post Rustic Pasta with fresh Bread Crumbs appeared first on The Peony Life.

OFTEN TIMES, SIMPLICITY IS BEST.

This is hands down the recipe I’ve made the most in my kitchen. It has few ingredients, not a lot of preparation and is very simple to execute well. I have made this so many times; I could make it in my sleep. This simple recipe is consistently delicious. I’m never disappointed when I make this for lunch or dinner.

This is one of those recipes that is so quick to produce but tastes like you’ve been cooking all day. It makes me fall in love with my simple pesto pasta, every damn time!  I cannot stress to you how much I love this recipe. This is a recipe on my blog you need to have in your repertoire and stat!

FROZEN PEAS ARE GREAT TO ALWAYS HAVE IN YOUR FREEZER. THEY ARE PERFECT IN THE SIMPLE CLASSIC!

There is no real cooking involved in this dinner, seriously! You make the pesto in the food processor and boil the pasta & peas in the same pot, which makes for a super easy and low maintenance clean up! Remember that the peas don’t take as long as the pasta to cook, frozen peas only take 3 minutes, so pop them in when your pasta is almost al dente. Be really careful not to overcook your pasta. You want the noodle to be firm to the bite because the cooking process will continue over medium/low heat, when you toss the pasta with pesto.

I LIKE TO THROW IN A HANDFUL ON SMALL, WHOLE BASIL LEAVES RIGHT BEFORE SERVING.

Simple Pesto Pasta with Peas

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

25 mins

 

Author: Peony

Recipe type: Main

Cuisine: Italian

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 3 cups basil(sweet not thai), packed
• ⅛ cup pine nuts
• ⅛ cup walnuts
• 2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• ¾ cup GOOD Olive Oil
• ½ cup parmigiano reggiano, freshly grated
• ¼ tsp freshly ground pepper
• salt to taste
• 454g package pasta of your choice
• 1 cup peas

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. Combine all ingredients except for olive oil and parmigiano reggiano in the food processor and pulse.
3. With the motor running, slowly pour the olive oil into the feed tube and process, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
4. Transfer to a bowl and stir in parmigiano reggiano.
5. When the water comes to a boil add pasta and stir with a wooden spoon.
6. Add frozen peas when the pasta is a few minutes from being al dente. Read the cooking instructions on the back of the pasta because different kinds vary. Do you not overcook! The pasta is going to cook a little bit more when we toss it with pesto so it's better to have it slightly undercooked, if anything. Reserve a cup of pasta water. You can use this to thin out your sauce if need be.
7. Drain the pasta & peas, rinse with cold water.
8. Return the pot to stove over medium low heat. Add 1 tbsp of pesto and 1 tbsp of pasta water and let the bottom of the pot heat up.
9. Add pasta and mix with hot pesto slowly strip in the remaining pesto, thinning out the sauce with pasta water 1 tbsp at a time
10. Top with basil and a sprinkle of parmigiano reggiano
11. Enjoy!

Notes

*Reserve a cup of pasta water. You can use this to thin out your sauce.
*You will need a total of 1 cup prepared pesto for this recipe.
*Be careful not to overcook the pasta!!! It should be slighty undercooked when you rinse the pasta. Remember that we will continue the cooking process over medium/low heat when we toss the pasta with pesto.
*Please read my 'Classic Pesto' post for tips and tricks on getting a perfect pesto and how to freeze it.

3.3.3077

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