Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Green Mediterranean Pasta


Awesome picture of a pasta heart that appeared in my pot. Maybe it means something?


This was a "what do I have in my kitchen?" type of meal. I tried a new thing and it worked out really well...spinach pesto! You of course, can change up the vegetables or type of olives..whatever it is you like.

1 lb pasta, I used Capellini--cook al dente, drain, rinse, save a cup of pasta water
1 clove garlic
a few handfuls of fresh baby spinach
2 Tbl almonds or other type of nuts
2 Tbl parmesan
olive oil
salt
pepper
lemon juice
1 jar artichoke quartered artichoke hearts, chopped up a little
a handful of olives, I used kalamatas
4-5 stalks of asparagus, cut into 1 in pieces
a few Tbl. of crumbled feta

First, get your water on for your pasta and start cooking. Make your pesto: Spinach, garlic, nuts, parmesan, olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon juice all in a food processor and chop. You could also throw in some basil leaves or mint if you have any around. In a saute pan, put a little more olive oil and artichokes, olives, and asparagus. Cook until the asparagus is slightly tender. Add about a 1/2 cup of the saved pasta water and the pesto. Cook for a few minutes until everything is heated. If it is too thick, add more pasta water. Toss with pasta. Top with feta cheese after it's plated.

I know I don't put precise measurements because with cooking, it doesn't matter much. You can add more or less lemon juice according to your taste preference. Karl loved this one...he said it tasted like a "gour-met" meal. Ok here's the final picture!