Cherry Tomato Spaghetti with Toasted Pine Nuts

I haven't been in much of a blogging mood lately--for this blog and my other one.  And I have done some cooking and I just need to get caught up.  I even considered just stopping this cooking blog altogether, seeing how inconsistent I am with it.  Not to mention, we're on the verge of a big military move to Germany and we'll be on leave for a good month and a half...which means no cooking or baking until after we get settled in (we'll be in Germany after the New Year.  But my husband told me to keep it up.  So I will! 

Everyone pretty much knows that I'm a pasta fan.  This particular dish is very similar to the Ribbon Pasta with Tomato, Dill and Ricotta recipe that I posted a while back, and is just as terrific, if not better.  Believe it or not, this is the first time I've ever made a dish with pine nuts in it.  I love how nicely they pair with garlic and fresh cherry tomatoes.  This pasta is very light, but hearty.  And I'm definitely going to make it again.  I'm a huge fettucine fan, so I substituted that in for the spaghetti.  And I think that the colors of the pasta make a for a nice contrast against the vibrant red of the cherry tomatoes.

Cherry Tomato Spaghetti with Toasted Pine Nuts

from Cooking Light

2 (1-ounce) slices sandwich bread

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 teaspoon garlic powder, divided

3 cups red cherry tomatoes

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

8 ounces uncooked spaghetti

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1.  Place bread in a food processor; pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs measure 1 cup. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons oil and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder; pulse to combine.

2.  Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add breadcrumb mixture to pan; cook 2 minutes or until lightly toasted. Remove from pan; set aside.

3.  Heat 1 teaspoon oil in pan. Add tomatoes to pan; cook for 3 minutes or until tomatoes begin to wrinkle. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder and garlic; cook 30 seconds. Cover; reduce heat to low.

4.  Cook pasta according to the package directions, omitting salt and fat. Add pasta, remaining 2 teaspoons oil, basil, pine nuts, salt, and pepper to tomato mixture, stirring to combine. Toss pasta with breadcrumbs; serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Ribbon Pasta with Tomato, Dill, and Ricotta

I got this recipe from this month's issue of Everyday with Rachel Ray.  The entire issue is fantastic and is filled with wonderful recipes for this fall. 

It's crazy, but I know a lot of people who can't stand Rachel Ray and cringe at the sound of her voice on the television--especially when they hear her cheesy sayings, like "EVOO" for extra virgin olive oil or "Yum-o!".  Well, I totally love Rachel Ray.  I love her recipes.  Just my style--quick, easy and downright delicious.  I love her personality--she's witty, fun and seems so down-to-earth. I love her kitchenware and gadgets (I own some of it).  I also love her magazine and talk show.  Wow...that's a lot of love.

Anyway, back to the recipe...I made slight substitutions, like baby spinach for the baby arugula and dried dillweed for the fresh dill--only because I had those handy.  The cherry tomatoes I used were so magnificently sweet and the dill made the dish more savory and delicious.  I can only imagine how much more wonderful this dish would have tasted had I used the fresh dill.  The hubby and I ate the pasta with a huge dollop of ricotta cheese.  I give this a huge "Yum-o!" all the way.  I think he does too.  Definitely making it again.  And it makes for a lovely presentation.  Something I'd definitely serve to a crowd.

Ribbon Pasta with Tomato, Dill and Ricotta

by Rachel Ray

Salt and pepper (to taste)

1 pound egg tagliatelle, fettucine, or pappardelle pasta

3 Tbsp EVOO

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh dill (I used 1 1/4 tsp dried dillweed)

4 cups loosely packed baby arugula leaves (I used baby spinach)

3/4 cup fresh ricotta cheese

1.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the past and cook until al dente.  Drain and return to pot, reserving 3/4 cup of the pasta cooking water.

2.  While the pasta is working, in a large skillet, heat the EVOO, 3 turns of the pan, and the garlic over medium-high heat, swirling the garlic in the oil, for 2 minutes; discard the garlic. 

3.  Add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper; cook for 4 minutes, then add the dill and the reserved pasta cooking water.

4.  Add the tomatoes and arugula to the pasta; season with salt and pepper. 

5.  Serve the pasta in large, shallow bowls and dollop with the ricotta for mixing while you eat.

Enjoy!