Pasta with Tomato Nuts Pesto
My favourite blog is Debbie's smitten kitchen.
Not just because her kid is around ash's age and shares a chubby look (my first born has a refugee look).
Not just because always come away with something whenever I swing by her blog - a recipe, an idea, a joke, a link.... Never a wasted click.
Not just because she loves cooking, cannot leave well enough alone or her inability to follow a recipe.
But because, I am firmly convinced we will get along famously. we have absolutely nothing in common. still. I am sure.
My favourite feature in her blog is the archive display for each new recipe - unwilling to try today's recipe? Maybe the one from 1 / 2/ 3/4 years ago will fit or at least show you a path...
One always does! Today's was a complicated yeasted challah. I have never had much look with breads, and I have so much work to do, it was a def no go; then the linguine with almond tomato pesto caught my eye. Lunch! In 30 minutes.
My changes were brought on as much by my inability to actually stick to a recipe as my tendency to cook with what is in my pantry and indianize any recipe I find.
I also have a somewhat shocking confession, I dislike Parmesan cheese. It is too salty and has a weird smell about it. I always substitute for it.
250 g Pasta
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 cup pumpkin seeds + sunflower seeds + almonds
3 red chillies
6 roma tomatoes
1/2 cup mint leaves1/4 bunch coriander leaves
1/3 cup thick yogurt (drain the whey)3 garlic cloves
1 tsp whole pepper
1/4 cup olive oil EVOO
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp chilli powder
Toast the pumpkin seeds on a terracotta wok for 2 - 3 minutes, then add the sunflower seeds and almonds, when the sunflower seeds start popping turn the heat off and continue stirring for 2 -3 more minutes. Don't skip this part, terracotta is very good at retaining heat, you will end up with burnt nuts if you don't stir.
Set water to boil for the pasta, quarter the tomatoes.
Add salt and a lil oil to the boiling water and then the pasta. Reduce heat t medium high. Set timer for 8 minutes
Grind the mint, coriander, garlic, yogurt, salt, pepper in the large blender jar. Stir pasta.
Add the tomatoes and EVOO and grind to a coarse consistency. Stir pasta.
In a coffee ginder/small jar grind the nuts, chilies and seeds coarsely (like orzo she said) Stir pasta. Add peas to pasta.
Pour the nuts blend into the tomato mix and mix well.
At the end of 8 minutes, drain the pasta, reserve the water
Add the pasta and sauce, set on medium heat and mix well. Add the pasta water if too thick.
If the colour is less than pleasing, add turmeric and chili powder and mix well. (funnily enough, Someone in MasterChef did just that, added red pepper to improve gazpacho colour)
Take off heat when pasta is at preferred texture.
Serve. Hot or room temperature. With a topping of Amul Cheese in honour of Dr. Verghese Kurien.
I am posting this to Srivalli's cooking under 30 minutes challenge.
Not just because her kid is around ash's age and shares a chubby look (my first born has a refugee look).
Not just because always come away with something whenever I swing by her blog - a recipe, an idea, a joke, a link.... Never a wasted click.
Not just because she loves cooking, cannot leave well enough alone or her inability to follow a recipe.
But because, I am firmly convinced we will get along famously. we have absolutely nothing in common. still. I am sure.
My favourite feature in her blog is the archive display for each new recipe - unwilling to try today's recipe? Maybe the one from 1 / 2/ 3/4 years ago will fit or at least show you a path...
One always does! Today's was a complicated yeasted challah. I have never had much look with breads, and I have so much work to do, it was a def no go; then the linguine with almond tomato pesto caught my eye. Lunch! In 30 minutes.
My changes were brought on as much by my inability to actually stick to a recipe as my tendency to cook with what is in my pantry and indianize any recipe I find.
I also have a somewhat shocking confession, I dislike Parmesan cheese. It is too salty and has a weird smell about it. I always substitute for it.
Pasta with Tomato Mint Seed Pesto
250 g Pasta
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 cup pumpkin seeds + sunflower seeds + almonds
3 red chillies
6 roma tomatoes
1/2 cup mint leaves1/4 bunch coriander leaves
1/3 cup thick yogurt (drain the whey)3 garlic cloves
1 tsp whole pepper
1/4 cup olive oil EVOO
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp chilli powder
Set water to boil for the pasta, quarter the tomatoes.
Add salt and a lil oil to the boiling water and then the pasta. Reduce heat t medium high. Set timer for 8 minutes
Grind the mint, coriander, garlic, yogurt, salt, pepper in the large blender jar. Stir pasta.
Add the tomatoes and EVOO and grind to a coarse consistency. Stir pasta.
In a coffee ginder/small jar grind the nuts, chilies and seeds coarsely (like orzo she said) Stir pasta. Add peas to pasta.
Pour the nuts blend into the tomato mix and mix well.
At the end of 8 minutes, drain the pasta, reserve the water
Add the pasta and sauce, set on medium heat and mix well. Add the pasta water if too thick.
If the colour is less than pleasing, add turmeric and chili powder and mix well. (funnily enough, Someone in MasterChef did just that, added red pepper to improve gazpacho colour)
Take off heat when pasta is at preferred texture.
Serve. Hot or room temperature. With a topping of Amul Cheese in honour of Dr. Verghese Kurien.
I am posting this to Srivalli's cooking under 30 minutes challenge.
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