Recipes - Recipe of the Week: Towcester and the villages in NN12 ...
23 Anti-Inflammatory Pasta Dinners For Summer
Jacob Fox
Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD
Give yourself the comfort of a nourishing and flavorful pasta dinner this summer. We made these healthy pasta dishes using seasonal ingredients like tomato, zucchini and avocado. Featured alongside other inflammation-fighting ingredients like dark leafy greens, whole-wheat pastas and legumes, these recipes are equipped with the right nutrients to help fight pesky symptoms of chronic inflammation like difficulty sleeping and an impaired immune system. Recipes like our Walnut Pesto Pasta Salad and our Salmon with Lemon-Herb Orzo & Broccoli are nutritious and perfect for a summer night in.
One-Pot Pasta with TunaView Recipe
Joy Howard
Use the one-pot pasta cooking method to make this tuna pasta recipe that calls for just 5 ingredients and is ready in just over half an hour. For extra crunch and a tuna noodle casserole feel, sprinkle this speedy pasta dish with toasted whole-wheat panko breadcrumbs.
Spinach, Lima Bean & Crispy Pancetta PastaView Recipe
We opt for fresh spinach pasta here--it cooks quickly and adds a pop of color. Cooking lima beans in pancetta drippings infuses them with flavor.
Salmon with Lemon-Herb Orzo & BroccoliView Recipe
Jacob Fox
This healthy salmon dish is as balanced as it is delicious. You add broccoli right into the pot along with the pasta during its last minute of cooking to save time here. One less thing to wash too!
Burrata Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes & Spinach Is the Perfect Summer DinnerView Recipe
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
This luscious weeknight pasta dish features burrata cheese—a soft cow's-milk cheese that looks similar to fresh mozzarella but features a creamy center that melts beautifully. You can substitute chopped fresh summer-ripe tomatoes for the cherry tomatoes. If they are plump and juicy they will moisten and flavor the pasta well so you can hold back on adding the full amount of pasta water. Serve with crusty garlic bread and a green salad on the side.
Spinach & Artichoke Dip PastaView Recipe
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If you've ever wanted to make a meal out of warm spinach and artichoke dip, this creamy pasta is for you. And here's what's almost as good as the flavor of this comforting dish: the fact that this healthy dinner takes just 20 minutes to prepare.
Walnut Pesto Pasta SaladView Recipe
This cold pesto pasta salad will cool you off on a summer day. Fresh tomatoes and roasted red peppers add a pop of bright color and juiciness here, but any of your favorite pasta-salad veggies, like blanched broccoli and fresh bell peppers, would be delicious too.
Creamy Spinach Pasta with White BeansView Recipe
Here, we whir up fresh spinach and kale with cream cheese and Gruyère for the luscious sauce that highlights this rich pasta dish. Paired with beans, it makes a filling vegetarian meal.
Spinach & Artichoke Dip Pasta with ChickenView Recipe
Jamie Vespa
If you love warm spinach and artichoke dip, then you'll love that we turned this classic dip into a creamy pasta dish with chicken. And here's what's almost as good as the flavor of this comforting dish: the fact that this healthy dinner takes just 20 minutes to prepare.
One-Pot Lemon-Broccoli Pasta with ParmesanView Recipe
This hearty pasta dish with bright, fresh flavor is ideal for busy weeknights. The Parmesan adds welcome saltiness and notes of umami and you get added texture from the slight crunch of broccoli and whole-wheat noodles. Add some shredded rotisserie chicken, grilled shrimp or crispy chickpeas to punch up the protein.
Super Green PastaView Recipe
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Margret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
Pack in your veggies with this quick and easy green pasta. Plenty of kale and spinach transform into a vibrant green sauce once cooked and blended with basil, pine nuts and Parmesan cheese for a pesto-like flavor. Enjoy this easy vegetarian pasta as is, or add grilled chicken or white beans for a boost of protein.
Pasta Salad with Black Beans & Avocado DressingView Recipe
Everyone will love this pasta salad recipe that's packed with tomatoes, corn and black beans. We lighten up the creamy dressing with avocado for a healthier version of a picnic favorite.
Greek Pasta SaladView Recipe
This quick, healthy Greek pasta salad recipe is tossed with all the elements of a Greek salad--plus chickpeas for added protein. This pasta salad holds well in the refrigerator or a cooler and tastes even better as the pasta absorbs the tomato-infused vinaigrette. Serve with pita chips.
Green Goddess Ricotta PastaView Recipe
Photographer: Sara Baurley, Food Stylist: Julia Levy, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
We take the flavors of green goddess dressing—lemon, anchovy and herbs—and use them as the base for a colorful, bright pasta sauce. We like a mix of basil, chives, parsley and tarragon, but you can mix herbs depending on what you have on hand. Adding ricotta to the sauce creates a luscious, velvety texture, while the acidity from the lemon juice balances out the creaminess. We use shells, which hold the pools of sauce well, but you could easily swap in another noodle if you prefer. To amp up the veggies even more, try adding asparagus or peas to the dish.
Cashew, Chickpea & Pasta Salad with Cilantro-Mint-Shallot VinaigretteView Recipe
Sara Haas
In our humble opinion, the dressing makes this salad. Tangy and zesty with a bit of a crunch from the shallots, this cilantro-mint-shallot vinaigrette will quickly become your go-to. Make the dressing and chop up the veggies while you wait for the pasta to cook, then mix everything and enjoy!
One-Pot Pasta With Spinach & TomatoesView Recipe
Caitlin Bensel
This one-pot pasta dinner is simple, fresh, and healthy—what's not to love? Cooking the pasta right in the sauce saves time and cleanup while infusing the noodles with more flavor. This speedy recipe is also endlessly adaptable, and lends itself to plenty of easy ingredient swaps (make sure to check out the clever riffs below). Change up the spinach for any vegetables you have on hand such as sliced zucchini and mushrooms, or add leftover chicken or cooked and crumbled sausage. We've happily embraced whole-wheat spaghetti as a healthier alternative to white pasta; it works especially well in this one-pot application.
Creamy Spinach PastaView Recipe
This might be one of the creamiest light pasta dishes you've ever had! The mascarpone cheese adds a richness to the spinach pasta that's unexpected—especially in a healthy pasta recipe.
One-Pot Creamy Chicken Pasta with ZucchiniView Recipe
Diana Chistruga
This one-pot creamy chicken with zucchini is comfort food at its best. Here, we take advantage of fresh summer zucchini, which lightens up the dish. This easy dinner is made all in one pot on the stovetop, so you can give your oven a rest on a warm day and enjoy an easy cleanup.
Beet Pasta with Goat Cheese & WalnutsView Recipe
Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Julia Levy, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
Beets are blended to create a vibrant sauce for an easy way to amp up your veggie intake. We use marinated beets for extra flavor, but you can easily substitute plain cooked beets—just add a bit of lemon juice or white-wine vinegar to balance the sauce. Goat cheese adds creaminess while walnuts provide a satisfying crunch in this healthy pasta dish.
Creamy Arugula Pesto Pasta with Peas & TomatoesView Recipe
Charlotte & Johnny Autry
Here, we jazz up store-bought pesto with peppery arugula and tangy goat cheese to make a creamy pasta sauce.
Caprese Pasta Salad with SalamiView Recipe
Jacob Fox
Tomatoes—both cherry and heirloom—are the star of the show in this pasta salad. This easy summer dinner includes salami for its rich savory flavor, but you can skip it or sub in white beans to make this dish vegetarian. Recipe adapted from Tomato Love by Joy Howard.
Creamy Avocado PastaView Recipe
Jen Causey
This creamy avocado pasta gets its vibrant color from spinach and avocado, which combine to create a flavorful sauce. Serve the pasta with grilled shrimp or salmon for a boost of protein. Or keep this avocado pasta vegan and top with a portobello mushroom.
Creamy Mushroom & Spinach PastaView Recipe
Jennifer Causey
Make this creamy mushroom and spinach pasta for an easy, healthy dinner. Be sure to save some of the pasta-cooking water as it helps the sauce emulsify.
BLT PastaView Recipe
Slab bacon lets you get a thicker dice than presliced bacon that will hold its own in the pasta; if it's hard for you to find, just use thick-cut sliced bacon. Peppery watercress wilts well yet maintains a little crunch. Arugula would also work.
Love Chicken Pasta? Here's A Quick Recipe For Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta
There are many varieties of pasta sauces out there. People love coming up with experimental and fusion versions with unconventional flavours. But more often than not, true satisfaction can be found with the classics. And if you want to infuse your dish with refreshing Italian flavours, you cannot go wrong with basil pesto. This green sauce can not only be enjoyed with pasta but can also be used as a dip, spread and in other food pairings. But if you enjoy its taste, pasta is the way to go - since you can then savour it in greater amounts! Our recipe today is for a non-vegetarian version: creamy chicken pesto pasta. Find out more below.
Which Types Of Pasta Go Well With Pesto Sauce?Spaghetti is one of the best choices for pesto, as its noodle-like shape allows a thorough combination of all ingredients. Other good options are fettuccine, linguine, farfalle and fusilli. Penne can be the last resort, as it is not always easy to ensure that the sauce reaches the hollow interior.Also Read: Pasta Pairings: How To Match The Right Sauce To Your Favorite Pasta
Pesto sauce can be paired with any pasta.Photo Credit: iStock
Cook the pasta until al dente, drain the water and set aside. Prepare the pesto sauce by blending basil leaves, garlic cloves, cheese, pine nuts and salt. Add in olive oil, a little bit at a time, to get a smooth sauce. Toss the pasta with the basil pesto. Add in cherry tomatoes, smoked chicken and dried herbs of choice. Combine well and taste to adjust salt/ seasonings. Grate more cheese on top and serve.
Click here for the full recipe for Chicken Pesto Pasta.
Tips To Keep In Mind While Making Pesto Pasta:If you don't have pine nuts, you can substitute them with almonds or cashews.
If you prefer your pasta more creamy, mix in some light cream with the pesto sauce. You will need to increase the quantities of salt and dried herbs used accordingly.
If you don't have cream but want to make it more indulgent, combine the pasta and sauce in a pan on low to medium flame. Add in more cheese and allow the heat to melt. This will give it that extra creaminess.
If you want to make this dish healthier, opt for whole wheat or other types of pasta not made of refined flour. You can also reduce the cheese content and/or avoid ultra-processed cheese. At its core, this dish is relatively healthy, thanks to the goodness of basil, garlic and olive oil. Also Read: Watch: Easy Way To Make Raw Pasta At Home Without Machine
What To Serve With Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta?A slice or two of toasted garlic bread is the perfect accompaniment to this pasta. Make sure that you butter the bread too. We also like adding a few dried herbs on top of the bread for extra flavour. You can bite into it during the meal and use it to scoop up any remaining sauce.
You can also serve a simple tomato-based salad with this pesto pasta. Stick to an olive oil dressing or any other light option. The pasta is already creamy and the salad should not make the meal seem heavier.
The next time a pasta craving hits, rely on this quick recipe!
Homemade Pasta Tastes Better. Here's How To Make It
Making pasta by hand looks impressive, but the truth is that homemade pasta is surprisingly simple to create. You can get started with just three ingredients you likely already have in your kitchen. Even if the only tools you have are a rolling pin and a chef's knife, you can feed your family and friends a satisfying and delicious meal made entirely from scratch. All you'll need is a recipe, a couple of hours, and just a little bit of practice.
Is homemade pasta better?You won't just get a sense of accomplishment from making your own pasta — it tastes better, too. Fresh pasta has a more tender texture and a more pronounced eggy flavor than commercial dried pasta. The pasta's springiness holds up equally well, whether it goes into lasagna or straight onto the plate with some butter. You can even try making a pasta dough with unusual ingredients like spinach or saffron for an extra-special meal.
How to get started making pasta Making the pasta doughThere are as many fresh pasta recipes as there are people who make pasta, but to get started, it's best to stick with a simple pasta dough that uses just a few ingredients: unbleached all-purpose flour, eggs, and a bit of salt.
If you want, you can use semolina durum flour, which is a more authentic pasta flour with a higher protein content and a coarser texture that helps sauces stick. However, if all-purpose flour is all you have in your pantry, it'll turn into wonderful pasta.
Place 10 ounces of flour on a clean work surface and make a well. Add two eggs plus four egg yolks to the well and gently start incorporating the flour using a fork, gradually scraping in flour from the sides of the well. Switch to a bench scraper when it becomes too difficult to use a fork and mix until it's fully combined by scraping and folding over the dough, turning it 45 degrees each time.
Kneading and rolling the pasta doughYou'll know the dough is ready for kneading when it stops sticking to your hands and holds its shape when rolled into a ball. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until it's smooth and satiny, then shape it into a ball. Let it rest, wrapped in plastic wrap, for 30 to 60 minutes to let gluten develop.
Use the bench scraper to cut the ball into four equal portions and cover them with a towel to keep them from drying out. Working with one portion at a time, roll out the dough into an oblong shape between a quarter-inch and half-inch thick.
Making pasta by hand vs. Using a stand mixerIf your arms aren't up to the task of all that kneading, you can use a powerful food processor or a stand mixer. Simply place all the ingredients in the work bowl and run the machine (using a dough hook if you're using a stand mixer) until a large, smooth ball forms.
How to shape homemade pasta Making pasta shapes with a pasta machineRoll out your dough by hand or use a pasta maker. Some pasta machines can create extruded shapes like penne, while others deliver smooth sheets and strands of lasagna or fettuccine. Following the manufacturer's instructions for the type of pasta you want to make, feed your rolled-out dough between the rollers until it reaches the right thickness.
At this point, you can trim it by hand to make filled pasta or lasagna or run it through the pasta machine to cut it into strands. As the cut pasta strands emerge from the machine, carefully catch them, dust them with flour, shape them into nests, and keep them covered until you're ready to cook or dry them.
A stand mixer offers another advantage here: after you've whipped up a batch of pasta dough in the bowl, use the mixer's pasta-making attachment to roll out, cut, or shape pasta.
How to make filled pastaFor filled pastas, make sure your filling is relatively dry so you can seal up your pasta and avoid leaking or soggy dough. Avoid the temptation to overload your pasta — follow your recipe's guidance for the amount of filling to use in each pasta shape.
Depending on the type of stuffed pasta you're making, you can use a pasta stamp, a pastry wheel, biscuit cutters, or even a chef's knife to create rounds or squares. Seal the pasta by brushing the edges with a little water, then using gentle pressure to close the shapes. Make sure the filling is fully enclosed and that no air is trapped inside.
How to cook homemade pasta Cooking fresh pastaHomemade pasta cooks very quickly — depending on the shape, it will need only two to four minutes in boiling water, and slightly longer for stuffed pasta. Salt your cooking water generously to amplify your pasta's flavor, especially if your dough recipe doesn't call for salt. Serve it immediately.
How to dry fresh pastaAlternatively, you can dry your uncooked pasta to serve at a future date. Leaving an egg-based food out in the open can feel counterintuitive, but when properly dried and stored, there should be no moisture remaining to encourage bacteria.
Toss the pasta shapes in flour, then lay the strands in a single layer on a drying rack or on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Let the pasta dry uncovered and away from heat and sunlight, or use a food dehydrator for more consistency, especially if it's a humid day. When the pasta snaps instead of bending, it's ready for storage. Keep it in a dry, airtight container in your pantry or freezer.
FAQ Q. How long does homemade pasta last?A. Homemade pasta has a much shorter shelf life than commercially made pasta. Uncooked pasta can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for just one day. Properly dried homemade pasta can be stored in your pantry for up to six weeks. Alternatively, before you cut your pasta shapes, you can wrap the dough in plastic wrap and freeze it for up to one month.
Q. What sauces go with homemade pasta?A. How you serve your pasta may come down to personal preference, but the shape of the pasta is a contributing factor. Pair fettuccine or tagliatelle with a homemade alfredo sauce or pesto. Wider pasta like pappardelle is great with slow-simmered meat sauces. You can also highlight the flavor of your fresh pasta (especially ravioli) by simply tossing it in browned butter and high-quality Parmesan.
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Recipes - Recipe of the Week: Towcester and the villages in NN12 ...
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