Good morning friends! I hope you had a fabulous weekend. 🙂

Today I’m back with another recipes from the President’s Choice Spring Insider’s Collection. This time it’s a meatless main (for Meatless Monday perhaps?) with two of my favourite things – pasta and pesto. When I saw the Asparagus Pesto and Tomato Burrata Pasta recipe as part of the new Insider’s Collection I knew I had to try it – with my own spin.

I’m going to share the original recipe below, and then I’ll tell you what things I changed when I made mine (because you can see right off that I didn’t use asparagus – we don’t get along very well).

Yield: 3

Asparagus Pesto and Tomato Burrata Pasta

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Lightly swirled with a homemade pesto made from fresh asparagus blended with lemon, basil and pine nuts, the delicate flavours PC® black label Ravioli Grandi Heirloom Tomato and Burrata Filled Egg Pasta shine through in this simple meatless main.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 8 oz (250 g) asparagus, tough ends removed
• 1/3 cup (75 mL) lightly packed PC® Fresh Basil
• 1/3 cup (75 mL) grated PC® black label Aged 36 Months Parmigiano Reggiano
• 3 Tbsp (45 mL) lightly toasted pine nuts
• 1 Tsp (5 mL) grated lemon rind
• 1 Tbsp (15 mL) fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 Tsp (4 mL) salt
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) PC® New World EVOO Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 pkg (250 g) PC® black label Heirloom Tomato and Burrata Pasta
• 1/2 Tsp (2 mL) freshly ground black pepper
• Shaved PC® Black Label Aged 36 Months Parmigiano Reggiano (optional)

Instructions

Chop all but four asparagus stalks; place in food processor with basil, grated cheese, pine nuts, lemon rind, lemon juice and salt. Pulse until chopped. With machine running, drizzle in 1/3 cup (75 mL) of the oil, scraping down sides, until smooth; transfer to bowl.

Shave remaining four asparagus stalks into ribbons using vegetable peeler starting from end to tip; set aside.

Cook pasta in large saucepan of boiling salted water for 3 to 4 minutes; drain. Meanwhile, heat large frying pan over medium heat; add 2 Tbsp (25 mL) of the oil and half of the pesto. Add pasta and swirl, gently turning pasta to coat; transfer to platter.

Coat asparagus ribbons gently with remaining 1 Tbsp (15 mL) oil; arrange over top of pasta and sprinkle with pepper and, if using, shaved cheese.

Because I knew I couldn’t use asparagus but still wanted to make the dish, I opted for a more traditional pesto instead of the asparagus pesto. Besides beefing up the basil and omitting the asparagus, I also swapped the pine nuts for ground almonds (because I already had ground almonds), I left out the lemon juice and rind because – well, I forgot to buy a lemon, and I used grated parmigano reggiano because it was on sale.

Otherwise, I followed the recipe (and I’m sure if you and asparagus are friends, the original recipe is delicious), but as it is with all my swaps it was still SUPER YUM. Oh my gosh.

Anytime you have the chance to have a fresh made pesto versus jarred, and fresh pasta versus boxed – go for it. The difference in taste is remarkable and makes you enjoy eating it so much more.

I really urge you to give them one a try (without – or with – the modifications), I don’t think you’ll be disappointed!

[Tweet “Check out the Asparagus Pesto and Tomato Burrata Pasta recipe from the #PCInsidersCollection @PresChoice”]

Disclosure: This recipe was originally published on pc.ca/insders but was re-printed with permission. This is a sponsored post for
Choice. All opinions are my own.