Since the premier of my show Junk Food Flip (Tuesdays, 9pmET on Cooking Channel), people have been asking me a lot about re-making comfort food dishes (probably because that is the premise of the show).
So today I had to share with you one of my absolute favorite recipe flips.
I’ve been obsessed with traditional basil pesto for a very long time.
When I first tried it I was at a point in my life when green things still made me feel a little queasy--but once I closed my eyes and took a bite, I realized how crazy flavorful and addicting pesto can be.
I was reminiscing yesterday, remembering that very first cooking video I shot in my kitchen. The lighting wasn't great, the sound was a little off, and as I felt the need to explain everything in utmost detail, it was entirely too long.
But people started watching. And since I was featuring “Zucchini Noodles” a fairly new and exciting concept no one seemed to mind the low budget quality or rambling host.
That first video is what started everything...
I'm a traditionalist when it comes to my Pesto. I like it just the way an old Italian Grandmother would make it. A few simple, fresh, quality ingredients tossed with some hot pasta and call it a day.
If you start using walnuts or almonds or anything besides pinenuts, I start getting angry. Throw in some parsley with the basil and I might just lose it.
RECIPE:
¼ Olive Oil
8 Garlic Cloves - sliced
6-8 Large Tomatoes cut into 1 inch chunks or 3 pints cherry/grape tomatoes
3-4tsp Kosher salt
1 tsp Red Wine Vinegar
3-4 Tbs Chopped Basil
1lbs Linguine
2 Chicken Breast, split in half, breaded and cooked See Recipe
Heat oil in a pan on medium low and add garlic. Cook till just slightly golden about 3-5minutes and add tomatoes. Let tomatoes cook until tender, 15 -20minutes. Smash tomatoes down with a spoon and add vinegar, basil and salt, cook for another 5-15minutes until you have the consistency you want. Taste to see if it needs more salt. Toss with pasta and serve.
Serves 4-6 portions
Notes:
Kabocha squash is like that quirky but cute guy you have been eyeing at the grocery store but are too afraid to approach. There is something about him that intrigues you and you have a feeling that he's better for you then some of the other handsome junk in the store but...
He seems like too much work to get to know. You wouldn’t even know where to begin. And so you walk away from Mr. Kabocha Squash, never knowing the love affair that could have been.
When your child is young you feed them pureed vegetables. This food is nutritious and easy to eat.
And then, without warning, it goes down hill...fast!! You start trying to give them whole broccoli instead of the pureed stuff.
This seems logical enough until the tree like foreign object is promptly rejected and dumped on the floor...
And there it sits, under their chair, next to the scary carrot and every horrifying brussel sprout.
But why give up the simple idea of eating pureed vegetables??
Hate the texture of a vegetable? Puree it!
Think veggies are too bitter or bland?? Add other more tasty pureed stuff to them!
Before you know it you’re eating a whole head of broccoli in a single serving...
Or maybe a whole eggplant...
People change... Times change... Feelings change... And though your Italian grandmother would scold me, I have to confess...My tomato sauce recipe...has changed....
Lucky for me I am still young. (Although the impending “3-0” this month makes me feel like I'm 10 steps away from the nursing home.)
But at 30 I’m pretty sure I am still young enough that I can change my “signature” sauce recipe. And hopefully by the time I'm 70 no one will remember how fickle I used to be with my famous “Sunday gravy."
Tomato sauce was one of the first things I ever made and it was the very first thing my husband and I ever made together.
(The first and the last, there is no room for two cooks in my tiny kitchen ;)
RECIPE:
3+1/3 cup Semolina Flour
4 large eggs (7/8 cup)
1/2 tsp Salt
1 Tbs Olive Oil
2 Tbs Water
Mix together with you mixer paddle for 30 seconds. Change to a dough hook and mix 2 minute. Kneed for 2-3minutes. Dough is ready to put through your pasta maker. When using a kitchen aid mixer with pasta attachment you want to work your way thinner until the setting is set to "6", this will give you the best thickness for ravioli. Whatever dough your not using at the moment wrap in plastic wrap or seal in a plastic storage bag to keep moist.
**Watch the video**
RECIPE:
Homemade Pasta Dough - Click here for fresh pasta recipe + how-to video
1 cup Ricotta
1.5 cups Parmesan
2 cups Gruyere
4 Garlic Cloves
1/2tsp salt
1 egg
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Spoon 1Tbs of filling into each ravioli. Cook ravioli and enojy!!
Makes 45 raviloi
HALF RECIPE:
1/2 Lbs Macaroni Pasta
2 Tbs Unsalted Butter
1/2 Large Onion
2 Cloves of Garlic
2 Tbs All Purpose Flour
3/4 Cup Whole Milk
4 Cups Cheese, Gruyere, Parmesan, Fontina, Cheddar
Salt
Cook Pasta 1 to 2 minutes shy of packaged directions. In the meantime, Melt butter and saute onions and garlic until soft and translucent. Add Flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add milk and stir/whisk till it is combined in mixture. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, let simmer until thick, about 5 minutes. Add in 3 cups of cheeses and stir until combined. Combined cheese sauce with pasta and transfer to a baking dish. Top with the remaining cup of cheese and broil till the top is crusty and brown. ENJOY!
FULL RECIPE:
1 Lbs Macaroni Pasta
4 Tbs Unsalted Butter
1 Large Onion
4 Cloves of Garlic
4 Tbs All Purpose Flour
1.5 Cup Whole Milk
8 Cups Cheese, Gruyere, Parmesan, Fontina, Cheddar
Salt
Cook Pasta 1 to 2 minutes shy of packaged directions. In the meantime, Melt butter and saute onions and garlic until soft and translucent. Add Flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add milk and stir/whisk till it is combined in mixture. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, let simmer until thick, about 5 minutes. Add in 6 cups of cheeses and stir until combined. Combined cheese sauce with pasta and transfer to a baking dish. Top with the remaining 2 cups of cheese and broil till the top is crusty and brown. ENJOY!
Everybody loves herbs, basil is an Italian staple, Rosemary is meat’s best friend and parsley seems to find it’s way into everything...and mint...well mint...um mint...well mint...makes...a great cocktail?!
True enough, but let’s give poor mint a little more credit!!
Mint’s fresh and vibrant flavor simply screams summer. And quite frankly Mr. Mint is sick of being thought of as a dessert/cocktail-only herb. He is ready to please you palate and make his mark on your dinner plate.
So to celebrate him and his delightfully minty ways I bring you...this pesto!!
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 large roasted red peppers (jarred or fresh)
1 roasted jalapeño, seeded
4 garlic cloves
2 scallions
1 tablespoon fresh mint
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon paprika
Juice of half a lemon
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon butter
Put oil in pan and add garlic, cook for 1 minute till fragrant and add Red Peppers, Jalapeño and Scallions. Salt mixture and add Herbs and Paprika. Cook for 3 more minutes. Put mixture in food processor of blender, add sour cream and puree. Transfer back to pan, add butter and lemon juice, cook for 2 minutes. ENJOY!!
NOTES:
