Red Pesto Ravioli a la 101 Cookbooks and IcedLatte Strolls in her Garden

Holy Toledo, but this looks fabulous:

Red Pesto Ravioli Recipe


I was going to stop at the grocery on my way home from academic medicine job and get the ingedients which I can do courtesy of my new crackberry because 101 Cookbooks has a mobile site, so I'm never far from Heidi's splendid, if somewhat colon-blowing recipes. Instead, I decided to be lazy and go straight home, which took me 23 minutes, just in case you're keeping score.

I whipped up a mixed pesto tonight that was absolutely scrumptuous. I used about oh, 1/3 cup mascarpone I had in the fridge leftover from a Nigella recipe I never quite got to despite the fact that I had quite a number of visitors over the last week or so. Ricotta cheese would also have work, as would a little bit of half and half, heavy cream, or even lowfat cream cheese:

IcedLatte's Stroll Into the Garden and See What'cha Got Pesto

1. Stand in the backyard and look at your herbs. Sigh deeply and contemplate how you'll never be skinny or a movie star but at least the parsley looks good.

2. Grap some of that parsley. Grab it and cut it and shake the bugs off. Grab, oh, I don't know, some basil, rosemary, oregano, whatever you've got. Bring it inside and enjoy the 5 more minutes of peace you have before the kids get home.

3. Five minutes are over. Take a break and hug the kids and let them talk excitedly about their day while you're waiting for your pasta water to boil.

4. Say, "Uh-Huh, wow! Gosh, then what?" to your husband while he talks about a really exciting meeting he had. While he's talking throw the pasta in the boiling water.

5. Throw your herbs into your food processor with, oh, I don't know, a giant handful of almonds, pine nuts, walnuts, whatever you've got nuts, plus some salt and a big squidge of olive oil. If you feel like it, lemon zest would be good but whatever. You don't need it.

6. After the pasta is done, drain it, then throw it back in the pot. You could sure add some peas now, even frozen, and they'll thaw right out, and wham, you've added a vege with a ton of fiber. Once you're good and ready, add the dairy--mascarpone, ricotta, etc.--then the pesto from the food processor and stir, stir, stir.

7. Adjust seasoning and liquid. Need a little more olive oil? Pasta water? Salt? Fix your dish and serve. Thank me later.

This is a FABULOUS 15 minute meals. I promise. Love, Iced.