PASTA WITH PESTO, POTATOES, AND GREEN BEANS

PASTA WITH PESTO, POTATOES, AND GREEN BEANS
Published July 1, 2013.   From Cook's Illustrated.



WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
The idea of serving two starches together might seem unusual, but this dish from Liguria is the classic way to serve pesto. The starch from the potatoes lends body to the sauce, and the tender green beans add color and flavor. Red potatoes make the creamiest sauce.

Some traditional recipes call for cooking the potatoes, green beans, and pasta simultaneously in the same pot, but it often results in one or more elements being overcooked. Cooking them separately makes the dish more foolproof.

If gemelli is unavailable, penne or rigatoni make good substitutes. Use large red potatoes measuring 3 inches or more in diameter.

• 3 garlic cloves , unpeeled
• 1pound large red potatoes , peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 12ounces green beans , trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch lengths (I like to cut into ½ inch pieces)
• 2cups fresh basil leaves
• 1ounce Parmesan cheese , grated (1/2 cup)
• 7tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into 1/2-inch pieces and chilled
• 1tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 Cup chopped chicken – I use the Costco Rotiserie Chicken (very good)

1. Toast pine nuts and garlic in 10-inch skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until pine nuts are golden and fragrant and garlic darkens slightly, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl and let cool. Peel garlic and chop coarsely.

2. Bring 3 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add potatoes and 1 tablespoon salt and cook until potatoes are tender but still hold their shape, 9 to 12 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer potatoes to rimmed baking sheet. (Do not discard water.)

3. Meanwhile, bring ½ cup water and ¼ teaspoon salt to boil in now-empty skillet over medium heat. Add green beans, cover, and cook until tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Drain green beans and transfer to sheet with potatoes.

4. Process basil, Parmesan, oil, pine nuts, garlic, and ½ teaspoon salt in food processor until smooth, about 1 minute.

5. Add gemelli to water in large pot and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Set colander in large bowl. Drain gemelli in colander, reserving cooking water in bowl. Return gemelli to pot. Add butter, lemon juice, potatoes and green beans, pesto, 1¼ cups reserved cooking water, and ½ teaspoon pepper and stir
vigorously with rubber spatula until sauce takes on creamy appearance. Add additional cooking water as needed to adjust consistency and season with salt and pepper.

6. I served Garlic bread with it (delicious)

Scalloped Potatoes

Terri's 2023 Modifications in blue

1 large bag frozen potatoes (shredded hashbrown or southern/cubed style; I prefer shredded)

1 can cream of chicken

1 ½ cup grated cheddar cheese (I use medium or sharp)

½ cup butter melted (I’ve made it without the butter, too, and it tastes good, just a little drier)

1 1/2 crushed garlic cloves-browned in pan and then crushed

1/2 tsp white pepper

1 tsp salt

1 pint (16 oz) sour cream

1/3 cup chopped green onions

No garlic pepper 

1 tsp garlic pepper

½ tsp onion powder

French fried onions (optional garnish)

Mix all together in a big bowl.  Transfer to pyrex dish (9x13) and bake for 45 min @ 350 degrees.  If garnishing with onions, add them the last 5 minutes of baking.  Great when served with ham.  Freezes well. 

Note: If using the cubed style potatoes, it’s best to thaw them first.  Otherwise they don’t soften up completely in the oven.  You can use frozen or thawed shredded potatoes and it works great.