Pesto Pasta Salad with Peas, Pine Nuts and Mozzarella Pearls

 Servings: 8 to 10

Prep Time: 20 Minutes

Cook Time: 10 Minutes

Total Time: 30 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound fusilli pasta
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup homemade or store-bought pesto
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, from 1 lemon
• 1½ cups frozen peas, defrosted, divided
• ¾ cup mayonnaise, best quality such as Hellmann's or Duke's
• ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• ⅓ cup pine nuts, toasted (see note)
• One 8-oz package mozzarella pearls
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil, for serving

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cook the fusilli in a large pot of boiling salted water until fully cooked, 10 to 12 minutes (you don't want al dente pasta here). Drain and toss into a bowl with the olive oil. Cool to room temperature.
2. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, purée the pesto, lemon juice, and ½ cup of the peas. Add the mayonnaise and purée until smooth.
3. Add the pesto-pea mixture to the cooled pasta, along with the Parmesan, ¾ cup of the peas, 3 tablespoons of the pine nuts, the mozzarella, the salt, and the pepper. Mix well, then taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. (I usually add ¼ teaspoon each more salt and pepper, but it will depend on the saltiness of the pesto you're using and how heavily the pasta water was salted.) Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle the remaining peas, pine nuts, and basil over top. Serve at room temperature.
4. Note: To toast the pine nuts, place them in a small dry skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until golden. Watch the nuts carefully, as they can burn quickly, and transfer them to small bowl immediately after cooking (they will continue to brown in the hot pan).
5. Make-Ahead Instructions: The components of this pasta salad can be made ahead a day ahead of time; just keep everything separate and toss together right before serving.

Geek Lemon Chicken and Rice Soup (Avgolemono Soup)

 INGREDIENTS:

1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 small onion, diced

2 celery rib, chopped

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

Kosher salt and pepper, to taste

2 large eggs

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (1-2 lemons)

1 1/2 cups of cooked white rice

2 cups of shredded chicken

chopped fresh dill for garnish

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. 

Add the onion and celery and saute for 3 to 4 minutes, until softened

Add the broth, season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer

In a blender, add the eggs, lemon juice, and 1/4 cup of the rice. Blend until smooth, about 20 seconds. then while blending, slowly stream 2 ladles full of hot broth from the sauce pan to temper the eggs.

Stir the lemon egg puree in the lightly simmering stock along with the rice and chicken until slightly thickened, about 5 to 10 minutes. Do not boil the soup as it can cause the egg mixture to curdle. 

Garnish with dill before serving.

Balsamic Summer Pasta Salad

 

Ingredients

Salad Ingredients

• 8 ounces pasta of choice
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved or quartered
• ½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes drained and sliced
• ½ cup sliced Kalamata olives
• ¾ cup crumbled feta cheese (Substituted shredded mozzarella)
• ½ red onion finely diced
• 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts toasted

Balsamic Vinaigrette Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup (omitted when I made)
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ½ teaspoon salt more to taste
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper more to taste
• ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning (optional)
• 1-2 garlic cloves (optional)

Instructions

• First, cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Then drain and let the pasta cool.
• Next, chop the salad ingredients and prepare the balsamic vinaigrette by whisking together all ingredients.
• Then toast the pine nuts in a pan over medium heat until golden brown. Lower the heat when needed.
• Now add all ingredients to a large bowl. Toss until everything is combined. Add more salt and pepper if needed. Enjoy!

Notes

• Make sure you don't toast the pine nuts using high heat as they tend to burn very quickly. Using medium or medium-low heat is ideal.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 473kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 938mg | Potassium: 542mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 800IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 188mg | Iron: 2mg