Mascarpone Cheese Pesto Pasta Recipes

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil for pasta. Set aside an ice-water bath in a medium bowl.
• Blanch the ramp leaves in boiling water for 15 seconds. Remove with a spider or slotted spoon and immediately plunge them into the ice bath. Drain the leaves and dry on a kitchen towel. Tops should be bright and vibrant green in color.
• Add the blanched leaves to a food processor with 1/4 of the ramp bulbs and stems, plus the lemon zest and juice, the pistachios and the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Pulse to finely chop, and stream in the olive oil until the pesto comes together into a thick sauce. Taste and, if desired, add more bulbs and stems, a few at a time, then add salt to taste and pulse to combine. (Reserve the remaining bulbs and stems for use in dressings, sautéed vegetable dishes or eggs.)
• Place the ricotta or mascarpone in large mixing bowl.
• Salt the pasta water and cook pasta about 1 minute less than package directions for al dente. Just before draining, remove 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water and add to the ricotta or mascarpone to soften and loosen the cheese. Add the ramp pesto and stir to combine. Drain pasta, add to sauce and toss to coat. Transfer pasta to a serving dish or individual bowls, and top with a generous amount of pink peppercorn.

Steps:

• Place the bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on paper towels. Crumble bacon when cooled.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir crumbled bacon and onion in the hot oil until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir chicken into mixture and season with garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Cook and stir until chicken is no longer pink inside and lightly browned outside, about 10 minutes.
• Stir sun-dried tomatoes and pesto in a large skillet over medium heat until pesto gives off a little oil, about 2 minutes; stir in spinach and cook until wilted, stirring constantly.
• Mix mascarpone cheese, 2 cloves of garlic, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, milk, and white pepper in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook until smooth and bubbling, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes; stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese until cheese has melted, 2 to 3 more minutes. Pour sauce over chicken and bacon mixture.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook bow-tie pasta at a boil, stirring occasionally, until cooked through yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes; drain. Gently fold pasta into chicken mixture and transfer to a serving bowl. Top with spinach mixture and sprinkle with 1 more tablespoon Parmesan cheese, or to taste.

Steps:

• Cook pasta in boiling salted water according to package; reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water, then drain well. In a large bowl, combine pot pasta, macarpone cheese and reserved cooking water; toss well to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve pasta immediately in bowls accompanied with a dollop of pesto. Pesto: In a food procesor or blender, blend basil, nuts, garlic and cheese. Pour in oil slowly while still mixing. Stir in salt and pepper.