Asparagus Rigatoni in a Creamy Pesto with Blue Cheese

This recipe serves four, however; it is so delicious that you might eat an extra portion.  This vegetarian pasta is hearty, satisfying, and the creamy pesto sauce is packed with flavor.  I like it with asparagus, on this occasion I added broccoli as well.  Feel free to use any dark green vegetables you love, mushrooms would also be a good addition.  If you have non vegetarians in the family/guests you can easily top this dish with grilled chicken or shrimp and marinate in extra pesto.  Also, if you have blue cheese haters in the household, you can simply not mix it into the sauce and crumble it on top.  This dish is easy to entertain with and can please many palates.  You will need at least a small food processor to make the pesto or a blender/hand blender.

Pesto can be made in three minutes, so please don't buy it.  Homemade pesto is free from preservatives and packed with vitamin C, anti-fungal, and anti-cancerous properties.  The pine nuts provide protein and vitamin E, among other things...  It is a flavorful marinate and/or spread.  Simply wash the fresh basil and parsley.  Please remove any dark edges from the basil, it will turn the mixture bitter.  Roughly chop the rest of the ingredients.  Blend all the ingredients in a food processor until combined for one to two minutes. Keep some texture in the mixture, don't over blend.  Refrigerate the pesto.

Fill a large pot with three quarters water with a tsp of salt and bring to a boil.  You want more water than you will need for the pasta as you will throw the vegetables in at the end to blanch them, for an easy clean-up.  Rinse and dry asparagus and broccoli thoroughly.  Chop tough ends of asparagus, approximately 1 inch and chop the remaining stems into three pieces.  Cut broccoli into small florets.  Add the rigatoni and cook according to the package instructions, different pastas very.  Once you feel the pasta will be ready within 2 minutes or so, put a large deep saucepan on medium heat on another burner.  Add the vegetables to the boiling water with the pasta.  Poor the pesto into the deep pan and allow to heat through.  Strain the rigatoni and veggies, reserving a third of a cup of pasta cooking water.  The pasta cooking liquid is starchy and helps the pasta adhere to the sauce while extending it.  Once the pesto is hot, add cream and a little butter.  You may use any percentage of cream, depending on your diet.  Bring to a simmer and add the pasta and vegetables and stir.  Allow the pasta to marry the sauce for approximately 3 minutes and then add the pasta to adjust the consistency.  

Incorporate the Blue cheese and plate the pasta.  Garnish with crumbles of blue cheese or freshly grated Parmesan.  I usually top the dish with freshly ground pepper and a few pieces of ripped parsley or basil. This time I won't tell you to enjoy, I know you will!  Feel free to get creative and use any pasta you like, chunkier pasta works best.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

1 small pkg rigatoni (450g)

1 bunch asparagus

1/2 bunch broccoli

1/2 cup half and half cream

1/3 cup reserved pasta cooking water

1 tbsp of butter

1/4 cup Blue cheese

Salt

Pesto

1/4 cup raw pine nuts

1 bunch fresh basil

1/4 cup fresh parsley

1 clove garlic (peeled)

3 tbsp of grated Parmesan
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp of lemon juice

Salt and Pepper to taste