Crab Linguine with Spicy Walnut Pesto & Springy Green Onions

This quick pasta dish celebrates simple, good quality ingredients. A spicy walnut pesto gently coats the linguine pasta, while sweet, delicate lump crab meat offers a decadent touch. Springy green onions and lemon zest add a bright, fresh taste to the dish.

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Crab Linguine with Spicy Walnut Pesto & Springy Green Onions
Serves 4

Pasta Ingredients:

1 lb linguine
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 cup chopped green onions
1/8 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 lemon, zested and juiced(reserve lemon juice for the pesto)
1/2 cup dry white wine
3/4 lb lump crab meat

Spicy Walnut Pesto Ingredients:

1/2 cup olive oil
2 cups packed basil leaves
3/4 cup walnuts1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (see above)
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Serve with: Lemon wedges and grated Parmesan

Directions:

1. Make the walnut pesto by combining all of the pesto ingredients in a food processor and blending until smooth. Set aside.

2. Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil. Generously salt the water and cook the linguine until al dente, stirring occasionally to keep the pasta from sticking together. Reserve a cup of the hot cooking water and drain the pasta.

3. Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the garlic and green onions and cook until soft and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Add the salt, pepper, and lemon zest, and stir to combine.

4. Deglaze the pan with the wine and continue cooking until wine is reduced by half, about 5-7 minutes.

5. Add the crabmeat and cook until the crab is just heated through, about 1 minute. (If possible, choose jumbo lump crab meat which is comprised of deliciously satisfying, large pieces of crab.)

6. Add the pasta, a tablespoon of the reserved cooking liquid, and the pesto. Cook for another minute, tossing with tongs until the linguine is coated and the ingredients are well combined. Add more pasta cooking liquid to thin if needed.

7. Serve with lemon wedges and an extra sprinkle of Parmesan. Enjoy while piping hot.

Weeknight Chicken Parmesan

To us, Chicken Parmesan is the definition of comfort food! With a hearty red sauce, bubbly cheese, and perfectly breaded, tender chicken cutlets served over a plate of pasta, what's not to love? Our recipe includes a few shortcuts making this delicious dish very doable even on a weeknight! We think you'll love it!

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Weeknight Chicken Parmesan
Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 pieces of thinly-sliced chicken breast
2 eggs
1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 cup olive oil for pan-frying chicken
4 tablespoons butter, for pan-frying chicken
1 jar of your favorite marinara sauce
8 slices provolone cheese

Directions:

1. Prepare the chicken. Whisk the eggs in a shallow bowl. Mix the breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan cheese in a separate, shallow bowl. Dip each chicken breast first into the eggs, then into the breadcrumb mixture. Spoon the breadcrumbs on top of the chicken until well-coated on both sides. Set aside on a plate until ready to pan-fry.

2. In an oven-safe skillet or braiser, add 1/8 cup of olive oil to the pan, and 1 tablespoon of butter under each chickenbreast. Cook the chicken over medium heat until browned and crispy on both sides. Turn the heat down slightly, and continue cooking the chicken until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Depending on the size of the pan, work in batches so that the chicken has plenty of room to cook without touching any other piece. This will help to keep the breading intact and to cook evenly.

3. Once all the chicken has cooked, add the 4 pieces back into the skillet. Spoon yourfavorite jarred marinara sauce over each cooked piece of chicken. Add 2 slices of provolone cheese on top of each sauced chicken breast.

4. Broil until the cheese is bubbling and just beginning to brown.

5. Serve the chicken on a bed of thin spaghetti with a little extra warmed sauce, or with a crisp, green, side salad.

Pasta con le Melanzane (Eggplant Pasta)

It's pasta night! Fresh eggplant strips are fried, smothered in a fresh tomato sauce, then paired with hearty rigatoni in this pasta con le melanzane dish. You’ll find that it’s perfect for cozy dining any day of the week. Bring it all home by topping the pasta with fresh mozzarella, tangy Pecorino Romano, and chopped fresh herbs.

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Pasta con le Melanzane (Eggplant Pasta)
Serves 6

Fried Eggplant Ingredients:

2 large eggplants
2 tablespoons salt
1 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup capers

Tomato Sauce Ingredients:

8 ripe Campari or Roma tomatoes, washed
1/2 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Pasta and Toppings Ingredients:

1 lb rigatoni pasta
1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano
1-3/4 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chiffonade

Directions:

1. Prepare the eggplant. Wash the eggplant and slice it into rounds about 1/4" thick. In a large bowl, cover the sliced eggplant in water and add 2 tablespoons salt. Press the eggplant down with a heavy bowl so the slices stay under water and soak for 30 minutes. (This salt water soaking process helps extract any bitterness from the eggplant, and renders a creamier texture.) Drain and rinse the eggplant. Pat the eggplant dry in preparation for frying.

2. While the eggplant is soaking, make the pasta sauce. Squeeze the ripe tomatoes in a large bowl of water to help release and remove their seeds. Finely dice the tomatoes. Heat the olive oil in a large pan and add the sliced garlic. Cook the garlic over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until it becomes fragrant. Add the diced onion and cook for another 4-5 minutes until the pieces begin to soften. Add the crushed, chopped tomatoes, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper and cook on low for about 20 minutes until the sauce beings to thicken and the flavors become incorporated.

3. Fry the eggplant. Slice the eggplant rounds into strips and coat the bottom of a large stainless steel pan with half of the vegetable oil. Over medium high heat, heat the oil. Once the oil is hot, working in batches, carefully add the eggplant slices in a single layer in the pan. Once the slices have browned, remove them with tongs and continue with the next batch until all the slices have been fried. Add remaining oil as needed during the frying. Place the fried strips on a paper towel-lined plate to absorb any excess oil. Add the capers to the oil and fry for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Use a slotted spoon to remove the capers and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to absorb any excess oil.

4. Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water for about 8 minutes, or until al dente. Drain the pasta. Combine the pasta, sauce, fried eggplant, and capers. Toss together to incorporate. Top with Pecorino Romano, mozzarella, parsley and basil and eat while piping hot.

Pea Pesto Pasta

A good pasta dish can transform everyday ingredients into something extraordinary any day of the week. Springtime flavors inspire this fresh take on pasta. We think your family will love this super-quick, spring pea pesto pasta dish. Buon appetito!

Spring Pea Pesto Pasta
Serves 4

Spring Pea Pesto Ingredients:
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon packed fresh mint leaves
juice of 1/2 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
1 small clove fresh garlic

Pasta:
1 lb thin spaghetti

Garnish:
1 pint Sun Gold tomatoes, halved
8 oz burrata cheese
Mint leaves, chiffonade
Basil leaves, chiffonade
Lemon zest

Directions:
1. Gather all of the pesto ingredients together. Be sure to thoroughly wash all of the fresh herbs! Pulse the pesto ingredients together in a food processor. Taste test the pesto, and adjust the salt and pepper accordingly. If needed, add more olive oil for a thinner consistency. Enjoy pesto immediately, or keep covered and refrigerated (or even frozen) until ready to use.

2. Slice the tomatoes in half with a small paring knife. Roll the basil and mint leaves and cut in a chiffonade cut for a garnish.

3. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain, reserve about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. For better pasta, salt the water! The cooking water should be “like the sea” – start with about 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt per quart of water. This seems like a lot of salt, and it is, but most of this will be discarded when the pasta is drained. Test the pasta frequently as it approaches completion. Pasta should be cooked to al dente – “to the tooth” – tender, yet chewy, not at all mushy. The easiest way to check for doneness, is to remove a piece of pasta and test between your teeth. Or, cut a piece of test pasta, and check the cross section view. The smallest white dot, or white line at the center of the pasta piece indicates doneness is nearly at hand.

4. Mix the pesto with the drained and cooked pasta, stir with tongs until the pasta is well-coated with the pesto. Add reserved pasta water, to thin the sauce, if needed. 5. Garnish the pasta with the tomato halves, pieces of fresh burrata, mint, and basil leaves. Enjoy!

April 5, 2018 - Easy Spring Pasta Favorites!

A good pasta dish transforms everyday ingredients into something extraordinary any day of the week. Springtime inspires a fresh repertoire of pasta dishes that feature seasonal ingredients ready to satisfy - all made in a jiffy. IN THIS ISSUE, we present a twist on a classic carbonara, a super-quick spring pesto, and simple handmade ricotta gnudi tossed in a buttery wine sauce. We invite you to enjoy spring's fresh flavors with pasta. Buon appetito!