Tag Archives: basil

Margherita Pizza

Posted by Brenda K. Agresta in Pizza and tagged with , , , , , ,

One of my favorite seasons has arrived – college football season! It’s a fall Saturday football tradition at our house to eat pizza and yell Roll Tide!  Our favorite? Any pizza grilled on a stone. Stone grilled pizza is so fabulous; there’s nothing better than a perfectly crispy crust with a slightly smokey taste. It’s as close to brick oven pizza as you can get. But if you don’t have a stone, this recipe works great in the oven too. Today’s pick, a simply delicious Margherita pizza.

pizza on the grill

Margherita Pizza

About a 1/2 cup pizza sauce or marinara
8 ounces fresh mozzarella
3 medium fresh tomatoes
10-12 fresh basil leaves
Pizza seasoning (optional)
16 ounce package of thawed frozen prepared pizza dough (follow package directions for rising) or your favorite recipe.

Prepare dough; roll into 12 inch diameter and transfer to pizza pan or stone. (I spread a little yellow cornmeal on the pan or stone first). Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

Thinly slice tomatoes; set out on paper towels to absorb moisture. Pat dry.

Thinly slice mozzarella.

Chiffonade the basil. (Stack basil leaves and roll them tightly, then thinly slice the leaves perpendicular to the roll).

Spread sauce on top of dough. Don’t go heavy with the sauce; you just want to cover the dough in a thin layer. Top with tomato slices, then mozzarella. Sprinkle on pizza seasoning.

Grill Directions:

Keep in mind some grills run hotter that others so your baking times may vary. My advice: keep an eye on your pie.

Cover grates with a sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil. Place stone with prepared pizza on top of foil. Grill should be COLD. If you put a cold stone on a hot grill it will break the stone.

Turn on all 3 burners –  front, middle and back, to HIGH. Close lid and cook for 15 minutes. Note: if moisture from the mozzarella pools on top while baking, take some paper towels and blot to absorb it.

Turn middle burner down to LOW. Rotate pizza (not stone) 90 degrees. I use a large cake/pizza spatula to do this. Close lid and cook another 10 minutes.

Carefully lift one side of the pizza slightly to check bottom crust for doneness. Continue to cook another 5 minutes if needed. Move pizza to cutting board , top with basil and serve. Leave stone on grill until totally cooled. Follow package directions for cleaning.

Oven directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Bake 10-12 minutes, until dough is puffed and golden and cheese is melted. Move pizza to cutting board. Top with basil and serve.

Note: if moisture from the mozzarella pools on top while baking, take some paper towels and blot to absorb it.

pizza on the grillpizza on the grill

Basil Pesto

Posted by Brenda K. Agresta in Pizza and tagged with , , , , , ,

Basil Pesto 2

I love using pesto on pasta, pizza and sandwiches. It’s a healthy, delicious sauce with fabulous flavor. My garden is once again overflowing with this beautiful, fragrant herb so I took a little time out of my day and made a batch. I freeze it so I can enjoy it all year round. It’s so easy to do!

Basil Pesto

2 cups fresh basil leaves packed
3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
3 teaspoons fresh minced garlic
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup pine nuts or chopped walnuts
Salt and pepper to taste

Most recipes call for a food processor, but I used my Vitamix blender. Here are directions for both.

If using a Vita Mix:

Add first 5 ingredients to Vitamix container and secure lid. Turn machine on and slowly increase speed, using tamper to mix ingredients and press into blade. Blend for 30 to 60 seconds until well blended. Add salt and pepper to your taste.

If using a food processor:

Add basil and nuts to the bowl of a food processor and pulse several times. Add garlic and parmesan and pulse several more times. Scrape down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula. With the food processor running, slowly add olive oil and blend until well combined. Scape the sides of the bowl again and add salt and pepper to your taste.

If not using immediately, pour into airtight container. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil on top. Cover with plastic wrap, then secure lid. Store for up to one week in refrigerator, or freeze for up to 9 months.

Basil Pesto Cavatappi with Broccoli and Peas

Posted by Brenda K. Agresta in Summer Salads and tagged with , , , ,

Pesto is a very versatile, healthy dressing/sauce that is wonderful on pizza, sandwiches, wraps, vegetables, and of course, pasta.  I love to make it fresh with basil from my garden, but since my plants just went in, I opted for the store bought version to make this dish. 

Basil Pesto Cavatappi

Basil Pesto Cavatappi with Broccoli and Peas

1/2 box (8 ounces) Cavatappi pasta.  (I use De Cecco #87)

4 ounces store bought or homemade Pesto

2 cups broccoli florets

1 cup frozen thawed petite green peas

1 5.3  ounce container plain greek yogurt

1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and set aside to cool. Do not rinse.

Prepare broccoli and tomatoes and finely grate cheese in a mini food processor.

In a large mixing bowl, combine pasta with pesto and yogurt. Add vegetables and toss. Add parmesan and toss again.

Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight before serving.

 

Pesto, Pasta, Shrimp and Asparagus

Posted by Brenda K. Agresta in Dinner Ideas and tagged with , , , , ,

Pesto Pasta 3

Pesto and pasta is a great combination and during the summer months I love to make fresh pesto with basil from my garden. But summer is still months away and with asparagus in season and so reasonably priced at the grocery store, this recipe wouldn’t wait. A store bought jar of pesto works just fine for this lemony fresh pasta creation and saves time in the kitchen too.

Pesto, Pasta, Shrimp and Asparagus

Inspired by recipe for Pasta, Shrimp, Asparagus and Basil
Good-Housekeeping, May 1994 issue

You will need:
8 oz. spaghetti
1/3 cup store bought pesto
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 lemon sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb. asparagus, cut on the diagonal, into two inch pieces
1 lb. large shrimp, shelled and deveined
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper or more if you like the heat
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions.
Add olive oil to a large non skillet over medium heat. Season the shrimp with salt, black and red pepper and sauté until pink, just for about 3 minutes per side. Do not overcook. Remove shrimp from pan and set aside.

Add asparagus to pan and cook until crisp tender. Add lemon juice.
Drain spaghetti and add to asparagus. Toss with pesto. Add shrimp back in with lemon slices and toss again.

Makes 4 servings.

Pesto Pasta Shrimp and Asparagus2

To make fresh Pesto add the ingredients listed below to a food processor or blender and process until smooth.

1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt