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Friday, December 3, 2010

Broccoli Pesto and Pasta with Pesto and Peas





From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...A three pound bag of broccoli and a request for pasta salad figured, in equal measure, into the selection of recipes I'm featuring today. The broccoli, which seemed like a great idea a week ago, had become an irritation, a reminder of poor planning on my part, and it was demanding to be used or tossed. I'm really bad with the whole tossing thing, so, I decided to use at least some of it in a pasta salad that I had promised for a potluck supper. I had just seen a recipe on Serious Eats that used broccoli to make pesto and thought I might be able to use it in my potluck offering. Years ago, Ina Garten published a recipe for Pasta, Pesto and Peas. I had saved the recipe, but never made the dish and thought the potluck was a perfect opportunity to give it, and the broccoli pesto, a try. The pesto, developed by Carolyn Cope, is wonderful. It lacks the eyeopening brightness of its basil cousin but it is delicious in its own right. The pasta salad is a mixed bag. While it's delicious, it lacks visual appeal. Its drab muddy color is unfortunate and may be off-putting to some. Both recipes are easy to do and inexpensive to prepare. Both are also delicious. Here's how they're made.

Broccoli Pesto...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Carolyn Cope

Ingredients:
1 pound broccoli florets (about 1 quart)
1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Directions:
1) Bring large pot of well-salted water to boil over high heat. Add broccoli florets and cook for two minutes. Drain broccoli well and set aside.
2) In food processor, combine broccoli, walnuts, garlic, lemon juice, and salt. Pulse until broccoli and nuts are finely chopped. Then, with motor running, pour in olive oil in slow stream. Mix in grated cheese.
3) Toss with pasta, spread onto toasted baguette slices, or as sauce for chicken or fish. Pesto will keep in sealed container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Yield: 1-1/2 cups.

Pasta with Pesto and Peas ...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Ina Garten

Ingredients:

3/4 pound fusilli pasta
3/4 pound bow tie pasta
1/4 cup good olive oil
1-1/2 cups pesto
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1-1/4 cups good mayonnaise
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1-1/2 cups frozen peas, defrosted
1/3 cup pignoli (pine nuts)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
1) Cook fusilli and bow ties separately in a large pot of boiling salted water for 10 to 12 minutes until each pasta is al dente. Drain and toss into a bowl with the olive oil. Cool to room temperature.
2) In bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, puree pesto, spinach, and lemon juice. Add mayonnaise and puree. Add pesto mixture to cooled pasta and then add he Parmesan, peas, pignoli, salt, and pepper. Mix well, season to taste, and serve at room temperature. Yield: 12 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Coriander Chutney (Cilantro Pesto) - My Favorite Recipes Collection
Wholewheat Penne with Arugula Pesto - Angie's Recipes
Genoa Basil Pesto - Foodie Journey
Walnut Cheddar Pesto - Baking Bites
Mexican Pumpkin Seed Pesto - My Man's Belly
Asparagus Pesto with Lemon and Mint - Family Spice
Sun Dried Tomato Pesto - Closet Cooking

45 comments:

  1. I really never thought of broccoli for pesto - what a great idea.

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  2. I love seeing all these different pesto pasta ideas!

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  3. This certainly is different! Sounds delicious.

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  4. Mary, how unique! It all sounds delicious! Have a good day!

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  5. wow, that does look delicious n very innovative. I love anything with pesto and broccoli pesto sounds yum..must try!!!

    US Masala

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  6. Broccoli pesto?!? Just when I think I've thought of everything pesto could be made with another recipe comes along. I can definitely see where it would be lacking the brightness, but it still sounds fantastic, especially with peas.

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  7. I love broccoli in any dish, and this sounds marvelous.

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  8. I've never considered broccoli pesto but it sounds good. I wonder how it would be as a hot pasta dish.

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  9. That's really a very healthy and brilliant dish. I have been hunting for all types of broccoli recipes. This is definitely very useful to me.

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  10. Delicious! I love pesto and broccoli, thank you for the idea!

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  11. Yum, good work here with the broccoli! I like how you used mayo!

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  12. Broccoli pesto!!?!? Are you kidding me? This sounds fantastic! What a fabulous recipe. Thanks for sharing.

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  13. We're great fans of pestos, basil, arugula, parsley, and, yes, broccoli. Wouldn't it be fun if a bunch of us bloggers came together for a smorgasbord, each contributing a favorite and unusual dish. Let's arrange a foodie convention!

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  14. I love the idea of broccoli pesto! I have never thought of doing something like this, but it really is a great new way to use that healthy vegetable. Thank you for sharing! I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

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  15. Oooh broccoli pesto is SUCH a good idea!! I'm totally obsessed and will definitely be making it in the future. Yum!

    Sues

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  16. Mary, I just made my version of Ina's Pasta, Pesto and Peas yesterday. It's a fav around here. But I love the idea of this broccoli version. As broccoli is DD#2's favourite veggie, I will be giving this recipe a go in the very near future. Thanks so much for sharing it!

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  17. Broccoli pesto is something we can make all year round, it is just that good!

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  18. While not being very bright and pretty, the pasta does look very good! I'm loving the spreader knife!

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  19. Yum yum that sounds so delicious. Diane

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  20. Never thought of making pesto with broccoli, very unique..

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  21. Great healthy recipe and a smart way to use up that broccoli! I am a big fan of unique, earthy pestos!

    Beautiful photo too! :)

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  22. Oh how cool this is, Mary!! :-) Simple yet nourishing and hearty. :-)

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  23. Yes! My kind of pasta!

    Bravissima Mary :-)

    ciao
    Alessandra

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  24. My kind of meal! It sounds unique yet incredibly delicious.

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  25. A different kind of pesto. That's worth a try!

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  26. This looks great! Love that broccoli pesto! Very original!

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  27. I love making non-basil pestos, and have been wanting to try one with broccoli. This sounds like a great recipe for it, as does the pasta salad. And as long as they tasted great, the aesthetics wouldn't bother me much!

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  28. This is like one of my favorite pasta dishes that I posted a while back. Love, love, love the pesto sauce and pinoles although they are super expensive now, don't know why.

    Anyhow, I could have this pasta dish right now :-) looks very appetizing!

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  29. I love anything pesto...even if it's broccoli :) This sounds really good, can't wait to try it!

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  30. I'll bet it tastes great - it looks like spring.

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  31. i adore all of the wonderful flavors you have going on in this. and such a lovely dish!

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  32. Green on green dish. Maybe you could have called a Grinch salad? Personally I think the salad looks very appetizing as is but some sundried tomatoes or chopped red pepper for color. Then it could be a Christmas pasta salad with the red and green ;o)

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  33. This is perfect bite indeed! Pesto at its best! Exquisitely served! You take marvelous photos of your delicious food. Thanks for sharing. Cheers!

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  34. Broccoli Pesto? Fantastic!! That'll make the end of season 'OMIGOD I've got so much broccoli what on earth will I do with it' so much easier!!

    Thanx also for visiting and commenting on my blog! Great to see you!!
    Have a great weekend (or as we say in OZ 'Avagoodweegend'

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  35. I have a love-hate relationship with broccoli. I can't stomach it cooked, and eating it raw only gives me so much pleasure before I'm bored. Needless to say - I am so excited about this Pesto recipe!

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  36. How funny, I was just thinking about making a broccoli pesto the other day to put on a pizza - looks fabulous!

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  37. This is an interesting as well as attractive pasta dish. One never knows how the recipes we notice and collect might play into our cooking experiences at a later date. Have a nice weekend Mary:)

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  38. this looks delicious, would never have though of broccoli pesto, but if we can have spinach pesto and basil pesto, then why not broccoli?
    i wish i could have some. yum!

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  39. My dad has this habit of buying the ginormous bags of broccoli from Costco that no one knows what to do with after the first few days. SO going to make broccoli pesto next time this happens so it doesn't go to waste.

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  40. WOw, thats a great idea !! Never would have thought of making pesto with brocolli ,

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  41. Pesto is one of favorites, will have to give this a try, sound delicious made from broccoli

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  42. I'm glad you like the pesto recipe! I think you got the description exactly right. Cheers!

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  43. It has been a long time since I had some pesto! Thanks for the reminder! I would love to make some right now.

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  44. just came across this on foodgawker and must say it looks DELICIOUS! might have to try this next week :)

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