A top chef alum Richard Blais is “working” on his problems — with pasta, that is.
“It’s common knowledge in our house that I could eat pasta every day,” says the chef, who teamed up with his wife, Jazmin Blais, for their new cookbook, Plant Forward. “I’m also known in my restaurants to be a bit of a snob when it comes to classic Italian pasta dishes. Well, I’m working on my issues, as you can see here.”
Their recipe for Eggplant, Pesto and Feta Penne (below) is simple and requires store-bought pesto — but still results in what Richard calls a “textural wonderland.”
“The pesto cools the heat of the Calabrian chili and adds a nice herbaceous punch,” he adds.
Plant Forward it’s full of recipes that focus on vegetables, but still has meat and seafood dishes. Like the book, this recipe allows for some flexibility.
“Even though it’s meatless – feel free to add some ground lamb, it would be amazing,” says Jazmin. And on its own, “the chewy texture of the eggplant and the saltiness of the cheese give it substantial meatiness,” says the mother of two.
Penne by Richard Blais with eggplant, pesto and feta
1 lb uncooked whole grain penne pasta
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 medium unpeeled eggplant, diced (about 5 cups)
2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup of dry white wine
1 cup of prepared basil pesto (from 2 [6.5-oz.] jars)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon chopped Calabrian chili pepper (packed in oil) or ground red pepper, plus more for serving
6 oz. feta cheese, crumbled (about 1½ cups)
Fresh torn basil leaves, for serving
1. Cook the penne according to package directions for al dente. Drain and set aside.
2. While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped eggplant, garlic, salt and black pepper; cook, stirring often, until eggplant is tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Pour in the wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Cook, stirring constantly, until almost all the liquid has evaporated, about 1 minute. Stir in the pesto, butter, and chili until the butter melts, about 1 minute. Fold the pasta into the sauce until smooth.
4. To serve, top the pasta with feta and sprinkle with basil and additional chili.
Serves: 6 Active time: 25 minutes Total time: 25 minutes
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education