Meatless Monday with Farfalle with Arugula Pesto Sauce

Farfalle with Arugula Pesto courtesy of www.italianfoodforever.com

Welcome (back) to the blog and thank you for joining us for another Meatless Monday. We at Miratel Solutions took the Meatless Monday pledge as part of our CSR business initiatives in support of eliminating meat consumption (at least) one day per week to improve personal health and encourage environmental food choices. You can read more on how this small action can have great impact at www.meatlessmonday.com.

Today’s recipe is a budget friendly version of traditional pesto as it replaces (more costly) basil with (more affordable) arugula. Farfalle with arugula pesto sauce is a simple and delicious dish everyone will enjoy. This recipe comes by way of Deborah Mele of  food blog http://www.italianfoodforever.com. Now let’s get cooking.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
• 2 Garlic Cloves – Finely Chopped
• 3-4 Cups Fresh, Washed Arugula, or about 2 Bunches
• Salt & Pepper – To Taste
• Dash of Red Pepper Flakes
• 1/4 Cup [vegetarian] Chicken [or vegetable] Broth
• 1/4 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1/4 Cup Toasted Pine Nuts
• 1/2 Cups Ripe Cherry Tomatoes, Halved
• 1 Pound Bow Tie Pasta
• Extra Grated Parmesan Cheese (for serving if desired)

Directions:

1. In a food processor, combine the garlic, arugula, half the pine nuts and the oil and process until finely chopped. Add the grated Parmesan, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes if desired. Pulse. Adding just a few tablespoons at a time drizzle in the chicken broth until the sauce is thick and emulsified. You shouldn’t need too much of the broth.
2. Cook the pasta until it is al dente. Drain, reserving a small amount of the pasta water in a cup. In the pasta pot, combine the hot pasta, arugula sauce, the cherry tomatoes and the remaining pine nuts. Cook briefly over medium heat until well mixed, adding just a little of the reserved pasta water if it seems dry. Serve hot, topped with shaved or grated parmesan cheese if desired

This recipe for farfalle with arugula pesto sauce will yield four portions but as with most pasta dishes, it can be easily adjusted to feed a crowd.  Farfalle is a bowtie shaped pasta that stands up to a pesto sauce well. If you cannot find farfalle, a fusilli or gemelli shaped pasta would work well too. This is a delicious dish that is sure to impress anyone, so keep it in your repertoire for when company comes over. You can complete this meal with a balsamic or another vinaigrette salad as both would work well.

If you haven’t already, we encourage you to visit www.meatlessmonday.com to learn more. Join us in taking the pledge and promote going Meatless on Monday to family, friends and even co-workers to build on your CSR business initiatives and make your green call centre, office, factory, shop or salon even greener.

Buon Appetito!