Hello delicious recipe alert! Boy, does this recipe look good. Yes, there are a lot of ingredients, but most of them are staples in your kitchen already. The combination of fresh veggies and herbs makes this pasta dish perfect for any night of the week.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 1/2 pounds asparagus, cut into 1-inch lengths
3 medium carrots, chopped
1 medium shallot, chopped
1/2 cup packed basil leaves
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons finely chopped thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons finely
grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil,
plus more for tossing
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 pound rigatoni
1/4 pound sliced bacon
1 cup chicken stock or
low-sodium broth
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup unsalted roasted pistachios,
very finely chopped
1/3 cup chopped parsley
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for serving
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Spread the pine nuts in a pie plate and toast for about 3 minutes, until golden brown.
3. Combine the asparagus, in the bowl of a food processor, with the carrots and shallot and process until finely chopped. Scrape the mixture into a 9-by-13-inch
glass or ceramic baking dish. Stir in the basil, garlic, honey, thyme, lemon zest, cumin, and 1/4 cup of olive oil. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring once until
the vegetables are soft and just starting to brown. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente, 12 to 14 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Transfer the pasta to a baking sheet and toss with olive oil.
5. Cook the bacon over moderate heat in a large skillet until crisp, about 6 minutes. Drain the bacon on paper towels and finely chop it.
6. Combine the cooked vegetables, in a huge skillet, with the chicken stock and butter and cook over moderate heat, occasionally stirring, until hot, about 4 minutes. Add the pasta, pine nuts, pistachios, and the reserved cup of pasta water and cook, tossing, until the sauce is thick and the pasta is coated. Stir in the parsley and chopped bacon and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the pasta to bowls and serve, passing the grated cheese at the table. Make ahead: The pesto can be prepared through Step 2 and refrigerated overnight.
From andrewzimmern.com; originally published in Andrew Zimmern’s Kitchen Adventures on foodandwine.com.
