Today, pesto describes many sauces that don’t necessarily adhere to the traditional formula of cheese, basil, nuts and olive oil. Spicy Red Pesto Pasta, which is inspired by pesto alla Siciliana, the scarlet cousin of green pesto Genovese, leans on sun-dried tomatoes, nuts and tangy roasted red peppers and uses basil as a garnish only. Though pesto is traditionally pounded by hand, a food processor simplifies the effort. This pasta sauce is versatile: Crown it with lemon zest for brightness, or stir in heavy cream for extra richness. Should you find yourself with extra pesto, drizzle it over steak, slather it on sandwiches or serve it alongside a cheese board or crudités.

cooking.nytimes.com

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS
⅔ cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup drained jarred, oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes (about 3½ ounces), roughly chopped
½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts (a scant 2½ ounces)
3 tablespoons double-concentrated tomato paste (or ⅓ cup tomato paste)
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
Kosher salt and black pepper
½ cup drained chopped, jarred roasted red peppers (about 4 ounces)
1½ ounces finely grated Parmesan (about 1 packed cup), plus more for serving
1 pound rigatoni, orecchiette or other shaped pasta
Sliced fresh basil leaves, for serving
Fresh lemon zest, for serving (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Prepare the pesto: In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, walnuts, tomato paste, garlic and red-pepper flakes. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring, until mixture is toasted and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a bowl to let cool for a few minutes.

Add the roasted red peppers and Parmesan to a food processor. Top with the cooled tomato mixture and the remaining ⅔ cup olive oil, and pulse the mixture until you form a paste. (It makes 2 cups.)

Season the boiling water generously with salt, then add the pasta and cook until al dente. Reserve 1½ cups pasta water, then drain the pasta.

Return the pasta to the pot, along with about 1½ cups of the red pesto and 1 cup of the pasta water, and stir vigorously until the sauce is glossy and the pasta is evenly coated. Stir in additional pesto or pasta water to taste. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Divide among bowls, sprinkle with Parmesan and top with torn basil. Shave some fresh lemon zest on top, if using. Serve immediately.

Caramelized Brussels Sprouts Pasta is a fast and satisfying vegetarian weeknight pasta that packs in a whole pound of brussels sprouts. The mountain of shredded sprouts may seem like a lot, but like spinach, it will cook down. As the sprouts soften, they caramelize and naturally sweeten, losing any hints of bitterness. Chickpeas are toasted in olive oil until deep golden brown, crispy in spots and super toasty. They bring a nutty, earthy flavor to the dish, complementing the tangy capers and lemony sauce. Leftovers are tasty enjoyed cold like pasta salad, added to a frittata, or sautéed in olive oil until golden and topped with a fried egg.

cooking.nytimes.com

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS
Kosher salt and black pepper
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and patted dry
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 pound brussels sprouts, trimmed and very thinly sliced (about 5 tightly packed cups)
8 ounces dried tagliatelle pasta
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan (about 1½ ounces), plus more for serving
2 tablespoons drained capers
2 tablespoons lemon juice
½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes
¼ cup chopped fresh chives

INSTRUCTIONS
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.

Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven or a large, deep skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium. Add chickpeas, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden and well toasted, about 5 minutes. Transfer the chickpeas to a paper towel-lined plate.

Add the butter, garlic and 2 tablespoons of the oil to the Dutch oven and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add brussels sprouts, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and lightly caramelized, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions in the boiling water until al dente. Drain, reserving 2 cups of the pasta water.

Add the pasta, 1 cup reserved pasta water, about ¾ of the toasted chickpeas and the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the Dutch oven. Stir in the Parmesan, capers, lemon juice, red-pepper flakes and half the chives until well incorporated and saucy, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add more pasta water if a thinner sauce is desired.

Divide pasta among bowls. Top with remaining toasted chickpeas and chives. Garnish with more black pepper and Parmesan.

Chef Michael Bonacini’s recipe for a classic Apulian pasta dish – Orecchiette with Rapini. Michael uses his thumb to shape the homemade pasta into little ears, then cooks a sweet garlic and spicy chili sauce that plays off the sharpness of the rapini.

4 servings

gustotv.com/recipes

INGREDIENTS
2 cups (470 ml) flour
¾ cups (180 ml) semolina flour
½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) salt
¾ cup (180 ml) warm water
1 pound (454 g) rapini
6 tablespoons (90 ml) olive oil, plus more for drizzling
3 garlic cloves, sliced
1 teaspoon (5 ml) pepper flakes
½ cup (120 ml) pine nuts
Grated lemon peel
Grated parmesan, for serving
Salt

INSTRUCTIONS
To make the pasta, sift together flour and semolina flour in a bowl. Make a well in the centre of the flours.

In a separate bowl, dissolve the salt in the water. Pour the salt water into the well in the flour. Pull flour in from the sides of the bowl to the centre, mixing together, then kneading until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Break off pieces of the dough and roll into thin logs. Cut each log into rounds. Put a round in your palm, then press your thumb into it to form an indent. Set on a baking tray dusted with semolina to dry for a minimum of 1 hour. Repeat with the rest of the dough.

Bring a large pot of well salted water to a rolling boil. Add the rapini and cook until tender, 5-6 minutes. Drain.

In a separate pot of boiling, well-salted water, cook dried orecchiette until pasta is almost al dente, 4-5 minutes. Drain, but reserve ½ cup (120 ml) of pasta water.

In a skillet over medium-high heat, heat olive oil. Add garlic, pepper flakes, and pine nuts and fry until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Add cooked rapini and pasta. Toss to coat. Add grated lemon peel. Add reserved pasta water, then swirl and toss the contents of the pan to form a silky sauce.

Serve sprinkled with parmesan and drizzled with olive oil.

It’s true that cooking dried beans may not sound that appealing—they can’t compete with canned when it comes to convenience. But for recipes where beans take centre stage, dried are well worth the extra time and effort. By adding your own seasonings from the start to the Pizza Beans, you can impart big flavor and control the salt levels. (Canned beans contain added salt, which you can partially remove by draining and rinsing them, but it’s worth keeping in mind if you are looking to reduce your sodium intake.)

Dried beans lend themselves well to batch cooking, since it’s easy to cook up a large quantity at once, and you can freeze them after cooking to add to future meals. They also yield a cheaper cost per serving than canned. Another benefit to dried is texture: Dried beans maintain their shape better during cooking, while remaining soft and creamy on the inside, whereas canned beans tend to turn mushy and break down.

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS
1 lb (454 g) large lima, butter or gigantes beans soaked in cold water for 4-8 hours, or overnight in fridge
¼ cup olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
½ tsp fennel seed
½ tsp chili flakes, plus more for topping
4 cups water
1½ tsp kosher salt
2 dried bay leaves
1 sprig fresh oregano
1 can whole, peeled San Marzano tomatoes, liquid drained
A handful of cheese for topping (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add onions and cook until translucent and beginning to brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Add garlic, fennel and chili flakes and cook 2 to 3 minutes more. Add drained beans, 4 cups of water, salt and bay leaves. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook, keeping at a gentle simmer until beans are tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Add tomatoes, breaking up with your hands, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until liquid is thickened, tomatoes begin to break down and beans are very tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Season with more salt, if needed.

Serve beans topped with your favourite cheese, fresh oregano or basil leaves, some crusty bread and a drizzle of olive oil.

TIP
You can substitute two 15-ounce cans of lima or cannellini beans for dried. After you cook the garlic, fennel and chili flakes in Step 1, add the canned beans and move directly to Step 2.

Oaxaca Style Refried Beans recipe from Pati’s Mexican Table Season 6, Episode 9 “Oaxaca Breakfast: Messy and Delicious”

Serves 6

patijinich.com

INGREDIENTS
1 pound black beans rinsed
1 white onion halved
1 tablespoon kosher or coarse sea salt or to taste
A couple sprigs fresh epazote or cilantro
5 dried avocado leaves or some fennel seeds
3 dried chiles de arbol or crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons lard or vegetable oil
1/2 cup white onion finely chopped
For garnish queso fresco
For garnish ripe avocado

INSTRUCTIONS
Place the black beans and the onion in a large soup pot or casserole and add enough water to cover by at least 2- to 3-inches. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat and cover with a lid, leaving it slightly open. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for an hour to an hour and 15 minutes – making sure there is always sufficient water (if you need to add a cup, make sure it is boiling hot).

Once the beans are cooked and tender, add 1 tablespoon salt and a couple sprigs of fresh epazote or cilantro. Cook for another 15 minutes. Turn off heat
.
In a hot comal or skillet set over medium heat, toast the avocado leaves or fennel seeds and chiles de arbol or pepper flakes for a couple of minutes until fragrant and browned, flipping as they toast. Remove from the heat. If using, break the leaves into pieces. If using, remove the stem from the chiles and break into pieces without discarding the seeds.

Working in batches if necessary, add the cooked beans and at least 1 1/2 cups of their cooking liquid (or add water if need be) to the jar of a blender, as well as the avocado leaves and chiles (or seeds and pepper flakes). Puree until a little chunky.

In a large skillet or casserole set over medium-high heat, heat the lard or vegetable oil. Once hot, but not smoking, add the chopped onion. Cook until translucent and edges are beginning to brown, about 6 to 7 minutes. Incorporate pureed beans and reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they thicken to your liking. I cook them for about 10 to 12 minutes.

This Breakfast Bake with Eggs by F&W’s Grace Parisi develops a terrific texture as it cooks slowly in a glass dish (which makes it easy to see when the bottom is perfectly browned). As one F&W editor remarked on tasting it, “I worship the crisp bottom and the chewy, moist bread.”

Serves 8

foodandwine.com

INGREDIENTS
1 pound bakery white bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (16 cups)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound sliced applewood-smoked bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
One 28-ounce can whole Italian tomatoes—drained, chopped and patted dry
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 pound extra-sharp cheddar, shredded (about 2 cups)
1/2 pound Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
2 tablespoons snipped chives
1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Salt
8 large eggs
Hot sauce, for serving

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350°. Lightly oil a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish. In a large bowl, toss the bread with the olive oil and spread on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes, tossing once or twice, until the bread is golden and lightly crisp.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the bacon over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain; reserve 2 tablespoons of the fat in the skillet.

Add the onion to the skillet and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and crushed red pepper and cook until any liquid is evaporated, about 3 minutes.

Return the toasted bread cubes to the bowl. Add the contents of the skillet, along with the bacon, shredded cheeses, chives and broth. Stir until the bread is evenly moistened. Season with salt. Spread the mixture in the baking dish and cover with lightly oiled foil.

Bake the bread mixture in the center of the oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the top is crispy, about 15 minutes longer. Carefully remove the baking dish from the oven and, using a ladle, press 8 indentations into the bread mixture. Crack an egg into each indentation. Return the dish to the oven and bake for about 15 minutes, until the egg whites are set but the yolks are still runny. Serve the breakfast bake right away with hot sauce.

Make Ahead:
The recipe can be prepared through Step 4 and refrigerated overnight.

Riso al Forno is comfort food at its best! This baked rice dish combines Arborio rice, peas, and cheese that’s baked in a meat sauce until golden and bubbly. And riso al forno is a great gluten free alternative to baked pastas!

Serves 8

sipandfeast.com

INGREDIENTS
For the sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion diced
5 cloves garlic sliced
2 small anchovy fillets optional
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
2 pounds ground chuck
3 ounces tomato paste
2 28 ounce cans plum tomatoes hand crushed or blender pulsed
salt and pepper to taste

For the riso al forno:
2 1/2 cups Arborio rice
2 cups frozen peas thawed
2 cups scamorza shredded
1/4 packed cup basil leaves chopped
3/4 cup Pecorino Romano grated

INSTRUCTIONS
For the sauce:
Heat a large saucepan to medium-high heat with olive oil. Add the beef and cook until browned (about 7-10 minutes). Remove the meat to a plate, leaving 3-4 tablespoons of the fat in the pan.

Turn the heat down to medium and add the onion. Saute until soft (5-7 minutes) then add the garlic and anchovy and cook for another 2 minutes more or until fragrant and the anchovy dissolves. Add the hot red pepper flakes and cook for another 30 seconds.

Return the meat to the pan and add the tomato paste. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the plum tomatoes and mix in to incorporate. Once the sauce starts bubbling, turn the heat down to a very low simmer.

Cook for at least 20 minutes uncovered at a low simmer, stirring occasionally to avoid any sticking. Taste-test the sauce and adjust salt and pepper if required.

Assembling the riso al forno:
While the sauce is simmering parboil the rice in salted water for 8 minutes. Drain the rice and rinse under cold water. Mix the rice with the peas.

Preheat oven to 375f and set the racks near the middle level.

In a very large bowl combine the rice and peas with the sauce, reserving 3 cups of sauce for later. Also, mix in the basil, half of the scamorza cheese, and half of the pecorino.

Coat a 9×13″ baking dish with half of the remaining sauce. Pour the rice into the dish and top with the remaining sauce and cheese.

Bake the rice for 30-35 minutes or until tender. For extra color broil for 1-2 more minutes but watch carefully! Wait at least 10-15 minutes before eating so that the rice settles.

For extra color, broil for 1-2 minutes, but watch very carefully to avoid burning.

In Italy, you’ll often come across pastas with briny and salty aspects from a lot of pantry ingredients like anchovy paste and capers. Those flavors always take me back to Italy! I used them in my lemon zucchini spaghetti, and brightened it up even more with lemon, fresh herbs, aromatic ingredients like garlic and shallots, fresh zucchini… and cheese! The flavors all come together to become this really delicious pasta with a lot of flavor interest, and something about it just reminds me of summer in Italy. This lemon zucchini spaghetti would be so delicious paired with some grilled seafood – and a glass of prosecco!

Serves 4

giadzy.com

INGREDIENTS
1 lemon (thinly sliced and seeds removed)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots (sliced)
2 cloves garlic (smashed and peeled)
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (divided)
1 teaspoon anchovy paste
1/4 cup capers (drained)
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 small zucchini (about 2 pounds total, halved and sliced 1/3 inch)
1/2 pound pasta, such as Spaghetti Chittara or Vermicelli Lunghi
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup fresh dill
1/2 cup fresh basil (roughly chopped or torn)
1 cup crumbled feta or goat cheese

INSTRUCTIONS
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Season it generously with salt. Add the sliced lemons and blanch for 30 seconds. Using tongs, remove the lemons to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Dry well.

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the olive oil and heat another 30 seconds. Add the shallots and garlic to the pan and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon for about 2 minutes or until fragrant and beginning to brown slightly. Add the anchovy paste, capers, red pepper flakes and the blanched lemon slices. Cook for another 2 minutes stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon to ‘dissolve” the anchovy paste and brown the lemons. Add the zucchini and remaining salt. Cook on medium high for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Parts of the zucchini should turn deep brown while some parts remain al dente.

Meanwhile, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook for 2 minutes less than package directions, about 8 minutes. Add 1/3cup pasta water to the zucchini pan and stir to deglaze. Use a pair of tongs to remove the pasta directly to the zucchini pan. Sprinkle the bare pasta with the parmesan cheese and toss well to coat the pasta with the zucchini sauce. Some of the zucchini should have gotten rather soft to help create a silky sauce. Add another 1/2 cup water if needed to maintain the sauce. Top the pasta with the herbs and feta cheese and serve.

Tuna lovers! Meet your ultimate sandwich: Best-Ever Tuna Melt. With just the right amount of crunch, melty cheddar cheese, and a couple good slices of tomato, you might even convert a tuna hater. The key to this sandwich is that the tuna salad is not your bog-standard, bland tuna salad. We packed this sandwhich full of celery, pickles, red onion and pepper flakes to make a flavorful salad that eats just as good by itself as it does in this sandwich.

Serves 4

delish.com

INGREDIENTS
1/3 c. mayonnaise
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
2 (6-oz.) cans tuna
1 ribs celery, finely chopped
2 dill pickles, finely chopped
1/4 c. finely chopped red onion
2 tbsp. freshly chopped parsley
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
8 slices bread, such as sourdough
2 tbsp. butter
1 tomato, sliced
8 slices cheddar

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 400°. In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, lemon juice, and red pepper flakes (if using).

Drain tuna then add to mayonnaise mixture. Use a fork to break up tuna into flakes. Add celery, pickles, red onion, and parsley and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

Butter one side of each bread slice. Top an unbuttered side with approximately 1/2 cup of tuna salad, 2 to 3 slices tomato, and 2 slices of cheese. Top with another slice of bread, buttered side facing up. Repeat with remaining ingredients and place on a large baking sheet. Bake until cheese is melty, 5 to 8 minutes.

[Maybe use panini press]

Lemon asparagus pasta is a bright and flavorful pasta that’s perfect for spring and summer! Thinly sliced asparagus is quickly sauteed with garlic and oil and tossed with al dente pasta, lemon zest, and juice. Finished with hand-torn fresh basil and grated parmesan cheese, this pasta is as easy to eat as it is to make

Serves 4

sipandfeast.com

INGREDIENTS
1 pound spaghetti or linguine
1 bunch asparagus sliced diagonally on a thin bias
½ cup extra virgin olive oil divided
6 cloves garlic sliced
½ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
3 cups pasta water will most likely not need it all
1 lemon zested and juiced
salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup basil hand torn
½ cup parmesan grated

INSTRUCTIONS
Bring a large pot of salted water (2 tablespoons per gallon) to boil.

Meanwhile, cut off and discard the bottom 2 inches of the asparagus and slice it into 3-inch long thin pieces on a diagonal bias. At this point cook the spaghetti until 1 minute less than al dente.

Heat a large pan to medium-low and coat the pan with a ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil. Saute the garlic for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant then add the red pepper flakes and the asparagus. Cook for 1-2 minutes longer until the asparagus just turns bright green.

When the pasta is almost done cooking add 1 cup of pasta water to the pan and turn the heat to medium.

Add the almost-cooked pasta to the pan and toss to coat. Season with a bit of salt and pepper. If the pasta is too dry add a bit more pasta water and toss once more.

Once the pasta reaches a perfect al dente, remove the pan from heat and add in the lemon juice and lemon zest and toss to emulsify. Add the basil and a hefty drizzle of extra virgin olive oil as well. Taste test and make final adjustments to salt and pepper. Serve in bowls and divide the grated parmesan.

Note
– Try your best to cut the asparagus into thin slices on a diagonal bias. The pieces will form long wilted strands similar to the spaghetti.