Sausage And Pesto Pasta Salad Recipes

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook penne at a boil, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes; drain and transfer pasta to a bowl.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir sausage in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes; add to pasta.
• Whisk pesto sauce mix, milk, and olive oil together in a small saucepan; bring to a boil while stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and keep at a simmer until thickened, about 3 minutes; pour over pasta and sausage mixture and toss to coat.

Steps:

• Fill 3-quart saucepan 2/3 full of water; heat to boiling. Add Pasta. Gently boil, uncovered 12 minutes, stirring occasionally; drain. Rinse with cold water to cool; drain well.
• Meanwhile, to toast pine nuts, place in ungreased heavy skillet. Cook over medium heat 3 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly until nuts are light brown.
• In large bowl, combine Seasoning mix from packet, cold water and oil. Stir in tomatoes, cheese and sausage. Stir in cooked pasta until well mixed.
• Cover; refrigerate about 1 hour or until chilled. Garnish with pine nuts and basil.

Steps:

• Cook the fusilli and bow ties separately in a large pot of boiling salted water for 10 to 12 minutes until each pasta is al dente. Drain and toss into a bowl with the olive oil. Cool to room temperature.
• In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, puree the pesto, spinach, and lemon juice. Add the mayonnaise and puree. Add the pesto mixture to the cooled pasta and then add the Parmesan, peas, pignoli, salt, and pepper. Mix well, season to taste, and serve at room temperature.
• Place the walnuts, pignoli, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process for 15 seconds. Add the basil leaves, salt, and pepper. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil into the bowl through the feed tube and process until the pesto is thoroughly pureed. Add the Parmesan and puree for a minute. Use right away or store the pesto in the refrigerator or freezer with a thin film of olive oil on top.
• Notes: Air is the enemy of pesto. For freezing, pack it in containers with a film of oil or plastic wrap directly on top with the air pressed out.
• To clean basil, remove the leaves, swirl them in a bowl of water, and then spin them very dry in a salad spinner. Store them in a closed plastic bag with a slightly damp paper towel. As long as the leaves are dry they will stay green for several days.

Steps:

• Sauté sausage in heavy large skillet over medium heat until cooked through, breaking up with spoon, about 6 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer sausage to paper towels. Pour off drippings; add oil to same skillet. Add onion and garlic; sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add broccoli, zucchini and wine; sauté until vegetables are just tender, about 4 minutes. Add sausage and tomatoes; toss until heated through, about 2 minutes. Transfer to large bowl. Add pasta, cheese, olives and enough dressing to coat. Season with salt and pepper.