Ease of Preparation: Easy
Time of Preparation: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
This is a quick, easy, and gorgeous-looking date night dish, that’ll make your guest think you were in the kitchen all day! Peppy chive pesto pairs with sweet-tart blistered tomatoes and crispy fried shallots to coat pasta in a blanket of pure delicious! Don’t forget the parm!
Ingredients:
Chive Pesto:
- 2 cups (470 ml) chopped chives (loosely packed)
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) pine nuts (or almonds), toasted
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
- ½ cup (120 ml) olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- ½ lemon, juice and zest
- 4 tablespoons (60 ml) finely grated Parmesan cheese
Blistered Tomatoes:
- 2 cups (470 ml) mixed heirloom cherry tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Fried Shallots:
- 4 shallots, very thin slices
- 4 tablespoons (60 ml) flour
- 4 tablespoons (60 ml) cornstarch
- Salt
- Oil, for frying
Pasta:
- 1 pound (454 g) pappardelle pasta
- Chive Pesto
- Salt and pepper
Garnish:
- Blistered Tomatoes
- Fried Shallots
- Fresh chives, olive oil, freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Method:
For the Chive Pesto:
In the bowl of a small food processor, combine the chives, pine nuts, and garlic and pulse to chop.
Add the olive oil and process to a paste. Scrape into a small bowl. Whisk in the lemon and cheese, and season with salt and pepper. Cover tightly and reserve. Refrigerate if not using right away.
For the Fried Shallots:
Heat oil in a heavy pan to 275 F (135 C).
Toss the sliced shallots with flour and cornstarch.
Dust off excess flour and fry, in batches if needed, for 4-5 minutes, until the steam dissipates, and shallots are crisp and golden.
Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and immediately season with salt.
Reserve at room temperature for plating.
For the Blistered Tomatoes:
Heat a cast iron pan over high heat until smoking.
Toss the tomatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Add to pan in batches. For 15 seconds at a time, moving and repeating until finished.
Reserve warm for the pasta.
For the Pasta:
Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water.
When the pasta is ‘al dente’ about 1 minute away from being ready, strain and transfer back to the pot.
Add the Chive Pesto and toss to evenly coat the pasta.
To Serve:
Make a cylinder by inserting a long-tined kitchen fork or a set of cooking chopsticks into the pasta and spinning.
Transfer the cylinder to a serving dish and push off from one end allowing the pasta to retain its cylindrical shape.
Garnish with Blistered Tomatoes, Crispy Shallots, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil.