Recipe: Cavatappi Salad with Peas, Ricotta, Basil & Mint

the appetizer:

Simple Stunning Parties at Home: Recipes, Ideas, and Inspirations for Creative Entertaining by Karen Bussen, includes recipes like Pomegranate Cherry Sakejito; Ciliegie Mozzarella with Basil & Cherry Tomatoes; and Cavatappi Salad with Peas, Ricotta, Basil & Mint.

Cookbook

Cavatappi Salad
with Peas, Ricotta, Basil & Mint

Serves 8 as an appetizer or 4 as a main course

Cavatappi is a fabulous dried pasta. Its curly shape makes it ideal for sauces that cling to the pasta, like this ricotta paste with fresh mint. The ricotta sauce can also be used as a delicious dip.

1 pound cavatappi pasta
2 tablespoons extra-virgin
olive oil
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup fresh green peas
(or frozen peas, thawed)
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup pine nuts
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain the pasta and set aside, mixing in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to keep the pasta from sticking together.

Meanwhile, in a food processor, mix the ricotta, garlic, 1/2 cup of the green peas, plus the mint and basil, until the mixture forms a paste. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the paste while it is processing.

When the pasta has cooled, toss in the ricotta paste and pine nuts and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with the remaining fresh peas and the Parmesan. Serve at room temperature.

from:
Simple Stunning Parties at Home:
Recipes, Ideas, and Inspirations for Creative Entertaining
by Karen Bussen
Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2009
Hardcover; 208 pages; 100 color photographs; $32.50
ISBN-10: 158479674X
ISBN-13: 978-1-58479-674-9
Recipe reprinted by permission.

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