Extended Family Recipes

This is a recipe exchange from my friend, Chef Gregg. He has a catering business in VA. "Tagliolini with Pesto and Almonds" sounds pretty yummy to me. I've never tried it, but definitely something to check out. Thanks Chef! It can also be found at About.com

Tagliolini with Pesto and Almonds

from Kyle Phillips The Ligurians have a long tradition of adding greens to pasta seasoned with pesto sauce, and this tasty variation on their more strictly vegetarian fare gains considerable grace from crisp prosciutto flakes, which nicely contrast the oil and garlic.

To serve 4:

4/5 pound (400 g) fresh tagliolini or fettuccine 2/3 pound (300 g) string beans 2 ounces (60 g) lean prosciutto 2 ounces (60 g) coarsely chopped almonds A nice bunch of fresh basil 1 clove garlic, peeled 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano 1/2 cup extravirgin olive oil Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:

Set pasta water to boil. In the meantime, about 2 ounces (60 g) of basil leaves and put them in a blender, with a scant half teaspoon salt, the garlic clove, and the cheese. Blend, adding the oil in a thin stream, until the mixture is creamy. Wash the string beans and blanch them for 2-3 minutes in lightly salted water. Drain them and run them under cold water to interrupt their cooking. Cut the larger ones in half, and then slit the halves lengthwise. Shred the prosciutto and sauté the pieces, without any additional oil, in a non-stick pan until they're crunchy. Remove them to a piece of absorbent paper with a slotted spoon. Add a tablespoon of oil to the pan and sauté the beans and almonds for a couple of minutes. Cook the pasta, and drain it while it's still a little al dente; turn the pasta into a serving bowl before it has stopped dripping completely, and season it, first with the pesto, followed by the string bean mixture. Mix well, garnish with the prosciutto, and serve at once, with a crips white wine along the lines of a Vermentino dei Colli di Luni. As a second course, roast fish and string beans seasoned with olive oil and lemon juice would be nice.

A couple of links:

On Pesto Pasta Basics

1 pound ground beef, browned and drained
1 pound ground sausage, browned and drained
1 large onion, chopped
1 bag of wide egg noodles, cooked and drained
1 can Luck's giant butter beans [or any tan limba beans]
1 can Campbell's cream of chicken soup [condensed]
3 ribs celery, chopped
4 or more slices American cheese [or velveeta if you prefer]
about 1/4 cup Progresso Italian Style seasoned bread crumbs

combine first 7 ingredients in a large casserole dish.
sprinkle generously with bread crumbs, top with slices of cheese to cover.
Bake at 350 degrees F about 25 - 30 minutes, or until casserole is bubbly and cheese slightly browned.

this is a very heavy and filling dish, serve with a side salad.