ITALIAN PASTA WITH PESTO

Hey guys! Dont you just love the feeling of a new week! I know I do! Mondays and Tuesdays especially, well wednesdays and thursdays rock too, oh well every day is an awesome day because every day is made by God. Lets embrace each new week with a new attitude! Be thankful, laugh alot, cry if you have to, worship with your all, and trust that God has gone ahead of you!

AND EAT GOOD FOOD!

Better yet make good food. 

 

Today I'm blogging on a meal that I haven't eaten in over 3 yrs!  I actually dreamt about it 1 week prior and then on a random Monday *yesterday*I just decided to get the ingredients and make it! I believe there is a time to plan and there is a time to ACT!
So yes I had planned to make this with stuffed chicken breasts but I opted to make it with mince meat instead!
Since I don't have a food processor for dried foods *which I hope to get soon* I bought a ready made pesto instead of making it myself. Pesto consists of garlic, basil, parmesan cheese, olive oil and pine nuts. It is available in Nakumatt supermarkets and slightly pricey but worth every dime!

Pesto originates from Italy and it is derived from the genoese word "pesta" which means to pound or to crush. While one of its most popular uses is as a pasta sauce, it can also be used as a spread or dip or salad dressing. I made mine with pasta and I urge to try the recipe below because it is officially one of my favorites!

Ingredients:            

Mince meat
Garlic
Red pepper-hoho
Edam cheese/ cheddar cheese
Cooking cream
Pesto
Tomato paste sachet
1 beef chilli cube
Tropical heat mixed spices which consists of oregano, parsley, and other spices all mixed together
Macaroni 
French beans 
Olive oil
Black pepper
1 spoon Royco

Start by boiling water for the pasta. Once it is boiling, add pasta, a spoonful of olive oil and some salt. After approx 8-10 minutes, remove pasta and put aside. *Note: to make sure your pasta doesn't stick together, rinse with cold water and stir in some olive oil- You can use this method for pasta salads aswell.*

Cook garlic in another sufuria and add red pepper shortly after. 
Add beef cube, mixed spices and tomato paste and leave to brown for about 1 min. You can add abit of water to make sure it doesn't burn. Once that is done add meat and leave to cook for about 5 min. After 5 min are done, add 1 spoon royco to a cup of water, 1 teaspoon of black pepper and add to meat. Cover it and leave to cook for about another 5-8 min. *Mince meat cooks very quickly. *

In another sufuria, add abit of olive oil and 3 spoons pesto  and allow to cook for about a min. Add the pasta that had been previously put aside and about 3/4 cup of cooking cream and lastly some grated cheese. Stir it all together over a low heat and add a dash of black pepper and salt to taste. Once it is nice and creamy remove from heat.

Lastly I defrosted some french beans under running water, cut their ends and cooked with a little bit of olive oil and some salt for about 5 min. They were perfectly crunchy yet cooked and maintained their dark green color.

And once all the above is done, which should take you about 35-45 min, serve to eat!

ENJOY!

VIVA ITALY! Viva italian food!

enoese word pestâ, which means to pound or to crush. - See more at: http://www.oliviersandco.com/pesto-originated#sthash.uTMIMG3R.dpuf

While one of the most popular uses for Pesto is as a pasta sauce, it can also be used as a spread or dip, salad dressing, or as an accompaniment to steak, poultry or fish. - See more at: http://www.oliviersandco.com/pesto-originated#sthash.uTMIMG3R.dpuf

While one of the most popular uses for Pesto is as a pasta sauce, it can also be used as a spread or dip, salad dressing, or as an accompaniment to steak, poultry or fish. - See more at: http://www.oliviersandco.com/pesto-originated#sthash.uTMIMG3R.dpuf