Mediterranean Pasta with Pistachios

4 servings

Ingredients:
2 cups onion, cut into narrow wedges
2 tablespoons olive oil (can use oil drained from tomatoes)
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
1 cup pistachios
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed in olive oil
1 tablespoon dry basil
1 tablespoon dry oregano
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley (optional)
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
8 ounces angel hair pasta (capellini), broken up

SAUTE onions in oil in 12-inch skillet for 5 to 10 minutes or until cooked through. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute more. Stir flour into onions and garlic; add wine and cook, stirring until mixture comes to a boil and thickens slightly. Add pistachios, tomatoes, basil, oregano and parsley to pan and heat through. Keep warm.
COOK pasta in boiling water 3 to 5 minutes or just until tender (note package directions). Drain.
Combine pasta and sauce; sprinkle with cheese and toss lightly. Offer additional cheese as garnish, if desired.

Lemon & Thyme Roasted Vegetables with Pasta

4 servings

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups 1-inch pieces fresh asparagus
1 1/2 cups lengthwise quartered baby carrots
1 1/2 cups thin strips red bell pepper
1 cup sliced 1/2-inch leeks
1 cup cubed 1/2-inch rutabaga
8 ounces uncooked dried spaghetti, linguine or angel hair pasta (capellini)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, if desired

HEAT oven to 400°F.
COMBINE oil, thyme, garlic and salt in small bowl.
PLACE vegetables in 13x9-inch baking pan. Spoon oil mixture over vegetables; toss well to coat. Cover pan with aluminum foil.
BAKE, stirring occasionally, 25 minutes. Uncover; continue baking for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring once, or until vegetables are tender and just start to brown.
COOK spaghetti according to package directions. Drain.
TOSS hot spaghetti with parsley, butter and lemon peel. Spoon roasted vegetables over pasta mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Angel Hair with Ham and Baby Peas

5 Servings

Ingredients:
12 ounces Angel Hair, uncooked
10 ounce box frozen baby peas, defrosted
1 1/2 cups 1% milk
1 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small red onion, peeled and sliced very thin
2 cups chopped extra lean ham
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
salt and black pepper to taste

COOK pasta according to package directions.
MIX 1/2 cup of the peas, milk, flour, salt and pepper in a blender jar or food processor. Blend until very smooth.
ADD remaining peas, without blending and set aside.
HEAT oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and ham and cook, tossing, until onion is tender, about 5 minutes.
ADD milk mixture, reduce heat to low and simmer 3 minutes, stirring constantly. When pasta
is done, drain well, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta cooking liquid. Add ham sauce and reserved
pasta cooking liquid. Stir over low heat until pasta is coated with sauce. Transfer to a
serving platter or plates. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve, passing Parmesan cheese
separately.

Sauteed Shrimp and Spring Vegetables Pasta

4 servings

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound fresh mushrooms, cleaned
salt & freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped leeks
2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled, cleaned and deveined
2 teaspoon chopped garlic
2 cups spinach, cleaned
1/2 bunch asparagus, blanched and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 pint cherry tomatoes, stemmed
1/2 cup fresh green peas, blanched
12 Kalamata olives, pitted and quartered
1 pound angel hair pasta, cooked until tender and drizzled with olive oil
4 ounces Parmesan Reggiano cheese, grated
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

ADD the oil and mushrooms in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Season with salt and
pepper. Sauté for three minutes. Add the leeks. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté for one
minute. Add the shrimp. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté for three minutes. Add the
garlic, baby spinach, asparagus, tomatoes, peas, and olives. Season with salt and pepper.
Continue to sauté for two minutes.
TOSS the pasta with the vegetables in a large mixing bowl. Add the basil and half of the cheese. Season with salt and pepper. To serve, mound the pasta onto serving plates. Drizzle the extra virgin olive oil over the entire plate. Garnish with remaining cheese and parsley.

Angel Hair Pasta with Wild Mushrooms

4 servings

Ingredients:
9 ounces wild mushrooms, morels, shiitake, chanterelles, porcini, black trumpet, etc.
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 shallots, minced
1 teapoon finely minced garlic
1 cup chicken stock
1 teaspoon chopped thyme
1 pound fresh angel hair pasta
2 cups trimmed arugula
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese plus additional as needed
salt
freshly ground pepper


BOIL pot of water to a boil. Add a little salt and olive oil.
CUT each mushroom into 2 or 3 pieces.
HEAT the oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet.
STIR in the shallots, garlic, and the mushrooms over medium high heat, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
DEGLAZE the pan with the chicken stock, sprinkle with thyme, and reduce by half.
ADD the arugula and the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the skillet. Stir in the pasta and the 3 tablespoons grated cheese and toss to combine well. Heat thoroughly. Correct seasoning with freshly ground pepper and salt.
COOK the angel hair until al dente. Drain.
MIX pasta and sauce in a large serving bowl. Sprinkle lightly with Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

Angel Hair with Saffron, Mushrooms and Chicken

15 minutes to prepare
15 minutes to cook

4-6 servings:

Ingredients:

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup scallions, chopped
3 cups (8 ounces) button mushrooms, sliced
salt and white pepper to taste
1 pound chicken breast, boneless, skinless, sliced into thin strips
1 cup white wine
1 box (16 ounces) Angel Hair
a pinch or to taste saffron
to taste chives, chopped

HEAT 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add scallions and saute 1-2 minutes.
ADD mushrooms and cook an additional 3-4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. Add remaining olive oil to same skillet and heat over medium high heat.
ADD chicken and saute 2-3 minutes. Add wine and mix well, incorporating any browned bits of chicken that stick to the bottom of the skillet. Reduce wine by half.
ADD scallions and mushrooms.
COOK pasta for 2-3 minutes. Drain reserving 2 cups of pasta cooking water. Add saffron to the reserved cooking water to taste; water should be a deep yellow color.
ADD pasta to skillet and continue cooking until al dente, adding enough of the water with saffron to thin as desired. (Starch released from the pasta witll thicken the sauce). As soon as the pasta is al dente, season with salt and pepper; serve immediately. Garnish with chives.

Angel Hair with Prosciutto and Asparagus

10 minutes to prepare
9 minutes to cook

4-6 servings

Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
4-1/2 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 pound asparagus, trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup half & half
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 box (16 ounces) Angel Hair

HEAT oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook 2 to 3 minutes or until tender. Add prosciutto; sauté 1 minute. Stir in asparagus and broth. Bring to simmer; continue cooking 5 minutes or until asparagus is tender.
ADD half & half and cheese to asparagus mixture, stirring until blended.
COOK Angel Hair according to package directions, drain and return to pot.
ADD asparagus mixture to hot Angel Hair and toss. Add salt and black pepper. Transfer to serving platter

Angel Hair with Lobster

15 minutes to prepare
20 minutes to cook


4-6 servings


Ingredients
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 medium red onion, cut into thin strips
1 pound lobster tail, cut into 6 pieces
to taste salt
to taste freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons white wine
2 fresh plum tomatoes, peeled and diced
10 leaves fresh basil, chopped
1 box (16 ounces) Angel Hair



HEAT olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and onion; saute 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

ADD lobster meat to skillet and continue cooking 8 to 10 minutes or until cooked through, turning occasionally.

ADD salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Add wine and tomatoes; continue cooking for 2 minutes. Stir in basil.

COOK pasta for 1 minute less than package directions. Drain, reserving 1/3 cup of pasta cooking water.

ADD hot past and reserved cooking water to sauce mixture and mix well.

Piemontese-style Angel Hair

10 minutes to prepare
20 minutes to cook

4-6 servings

Ingredients
2 cups fresh parsley
3/4 cup toasted walnuts
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
3 garlic cloves
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
2 red bell peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
1 orange bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
2 leeks, thinly sliced crosswise
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 box (16 ounces) Angel Hair
8 ounces Fontina cheese, cut into small cubes

MIX parsley, walnuts, thyme and garlic cloves in the bowl of a food processor and blend until finely chopped. Gradually add 1/2 cup of oil, processing until well blended. Season the pesto with salt and pepper to taste.
HEAT the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat.
ADD the bell peppers, leeks, and the finely chopped garlic. Sauté until the bell peppers are crisp-tender, about 15 minutes.
BRING a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the angel hair pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring often to prevent the pasta from sticking together, about 4 minutes. Drain, reserving 2 cups of cooking liquid.
TOSS the pasta with the pesto, bell pepper mixture, and cheese in a large bowl to combine, adding enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten.
SEASON the pasta to taste with salt and pepper, and serve.

Angel Hair with Italian Sausage, Fennel and White Beans

5 minutes to prepare
30 minutes to cook

4-6 servings


Ingredients
1 pound Italian sausage*
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1 can (28 ounces) peeled tomatoes
1 can (19 ounces) Cannellini beans, drained
2 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
1 bulb Fennel, thinly sliced
Salt & Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 box Angel Hair
1 tablespoon Fresh basil, chopped

BRING a large pot of water to a boil.
ADD sausage to a large skillet and brown over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and cannellini beans. Season with salt and black pepper. Simmer 15 minutes. HEAT olive oil in a medium skillet. Add fennel and sauté until tender. Add cooked fennel to sauce.
COOK pasta according to package directions. Drain and add hot pasta to sauce. Mix well. Sprinkle with chopped basil.

Tip: *May substitute Italian flavored turkey sausage.
Pairs good with red wine.

Angel Hair with Bay Scallops, Shrimp and Arugula

15 minutes to prepare
25 minutes to cook

4-6 servings

Ingredients
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup stock (vegetable or fish)
1/2 pound bay scallops
1/2 pound shrimp
1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes
1 package (2-4 ounces) arugula, stems removed and chopped
1/2 cup Parmigiano cheese, grated
salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 box Angel Hair

HEAT olive oil in a large skillet. Add garlic; sauté until golden.
ADD wine and stock. Simmer until half evaporates.
ADD sun-dried tomatoes, shrimp and bay scallops. Simmer gently until shellfish is firm and cooked through.
STIR in lemon zest and arugula. Season with salt and pepper; remove from heat.
COOK pasta according to package directions. Drain.
ADD pasta to sauce; mix well. Add cheese and mix again

Angel Hair with Sage and Almonds Pesto

15 minutes to prepare
10 minutes to cook

Servings: 4-6

Ingredients
1/4 cup Fresh sage
1/3 cup Extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup Fresh parsley
1/4 cup Almonds
to taste Salt
to taste Pepper
1 box Angel Hair
1/4 cup Parmigiano cheese, grated
1/4 cup Romano cheese, grated


BRING a large pot of water to a boil.
MIX the sage, oil, almonds, parsley, salt and pepper in a blender.
COOK pasta according to the directions. Drain pasta, reserving 2 cups cooked water.
COMBINE hot pasta with sauce. Add some cooked water if sauce appears too thick. Sprinkle with grated cheeses. Season with salt and pepper and serve

Angel Hair with Artichokes, Zucchini, Lemon, and Tarragon

30-60 minutes to prepere

20 minutes to cook

4-6 servings

Ingredients
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium zucchini, sliced
2 packages (9 ounces ea.) frozen artichoke hearts, defrosted
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1/4 cup lemon juice
salt & freshly ground black pepper
1/2 box Angel Hair
1/3 cup Parmigiano cheese, freshly grated
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, chopped

SPRINKLE zucchini with salt. Drain in colander 30-60 minutes.

HEAT olive oil in a large skillet. Add zucchini; sauté until tender. Add garlic and saute 1 minute.

ADD artichoke hearts, lemon juice and lemon zest. Simmer for 2 minutes.

COOK pasta according to package directions. Drain and add pasta to sauce.

ADD tarragon; mix well. Sprinkle with Parmigiano cheese

TIP: White wine recomended.

Angel Hair with Lemon Shrimp and Asparagus

20 minutes to prepare
12 minutes to cook

Servings: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 pound asparagus spears, trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 cup red pepper, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 cup half & half
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 box (16 ounces) Angel Hair pasta
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano cheese

BOIL asparagus for 30 seconds in a small saucepan. Drain; rinse under cold water and set aside.

BRING a large pot of water to a boil.

HEAT oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add asparagus, shrimp, red pepper and red pepper flakes; cook 5 to 7 minutes or until shrimp is cooked and vegetables are tender, stirrring occasionally.

REDUCE heat to medium low. Stir in half & half and salt. Heat thoroughly, stirring occasionally.

COOK Angel Hair according to package directions; drain and return to pot.

ADD shrimp mixture to hot pasta; toss. Add lemon juice and lemon zest; toss. Transfer to serving platter; sprinkle with cheese and serve.

Tips:
You can substitute yellow or green pepper for red.
I like this recepie with white wine.