This recipe was inspired by my spring garden. I had fresh spinach and radish greens ready for harvesting along with Italian parsley. One of the keys to keeping things simple, seasonal, fresh, economical and nutritious, not to mention interesting is to let what produce is available locally and seasonally to inspire you. Let it create your menus for you. All 3 vegetables used in this easy recipe are easy to grow in most all climates and can be grown in pots on your deck or in a window box for those living in apartments. This is a really quick pasta to make. Once you have made the pesto(see link to Parsley Pistachio Pesto) you just add fresh chopped greens and pasta and that's it! You can use any variety of store bought pesto in this, but trust me you won't regret making it from scratch!! This makes a great satisfying main dish or a great make ahead lunch. This will probably make about 4 days worth of lunches for a work week.
Put a pot to boil and add a generous pinch of sea salt for the farfalle pasta and cook pasta according to the directions, but test regularly for done-ness. With Gluten Free Pasta the cook time on the package is only a guide. You must keep testing( by tasting the noodles) to see if they are ready. If you are not careful they overcook and turn to mush. If you undercook they will be too firm and taste awful.
Once noodles are cooked, drain them over a colander. Add the chopped greens and then the pesto to the pasta cooking pot and let the heat of the pot wilt the greens. Add the hot pasta and keep stirring with a large wooden spoon until the greens have wilted and both the pesto and greens are evenly distributed throughout the noodles.
Drizzle with extra olive oil and add sea salt and fresh black pepper if desired.
Ingredients
Directions
Put a pot to boil and add a generous pinch of sea salt for the farfalle pasta and cook pasta according to the directions, but test regularly for done-ness. With Gluten Free Pasta the cook time on the package is only a guide. You must keep testing( by tasting the noodles) to see if they are ready. If you are not careful they overcook and turn to mush. If you undercook they will be too firm and taste awful.
Once noodles are cooked, drain them over a colander. Add the chopped greens and then the pesto to the pasta cooking pot and let the heat of the pot wilt the greens. Add the hot pasta and keep stirring with a large wooden spoon until the greens have wilted and both the pesto and greens are evenly distributed throughout the noodles.
Drizzle with extra olive oil and add sea salt and fresh black pepper if desired.