Mean Green Fusilli Recipes

MEAN GREEN PASTA CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• For the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne and cook until al dente according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
• For the pureed greens: Meanwhile, add the spinach, arugula, basil, mint, parsley, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper and garlic to a food processor. With the machine running, drizzle in the olive oil and puree. Stop before the mixture is completely smooth; you want a bit of texture. Set aside.
• For the cheese sauce: Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour and mustard powder, whisking to combine. Cook, whisking constantly, for a minute or so. Pour in the milk, whisking constantly. Cook the sauce until thick and bubbly, 3 to 5 minutes. Whisk in the half-and-half, salt and pepper. Add the Cheddar, fontina and Monterey Jack. Stir until the cheese all melts.
• For the assembly: Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.
• Combine the melted butter, breadcrumbs and parsley in a small bowl.
• Add the cooked penne to the cheese sauce, making sure every noodle is covered in sauce. Next, stir in the pureed greens until barely combined. Pour the pasta mixture into the buttered baking pan and top evenly with the breadcrumbs. Bake until bubbly and golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
• If you are serving later, top the assembled casserole with aluminum foil and pop in the freezer. When you are ready to serve, allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight and bake the following day at 350 degrees F until golden brown and cooked through, about 1 hour covered and an additional 15 minutes uncovered.

MEAN GREEN SCRAMBLE

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the hardy greens, scallions and jalapeños. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the greens have wilted, about 2 minutes.
• Meanwhile, add the half-and-half, pesto and eggs to a pitcher or bowl. Whisk with a fork until well combined.
• Add the egg mixture to the skillet and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until creamy curds begin to form, about 2 minutes. Add the Monterey Jack and continue to cook, stirring, until the eggs are just cooked and the cheese has melted, another 2 to 3 minutes.
• Serve the eggs on top of the tomato slices and garnished with the chives.

FUSILLI WITH FRESH POMODORO

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the pasta 2 minutes less than the packaging suggests, about 8 minutes. Drain well, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.
• Using the large holes on a box grater, grate the flesh of the tomatoes, stopping when you are left with just the skin. Heat a large straight-sided skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until the garlic is fragrant and beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add the grated tomatoes, whole basil and 3/4 teaspoon salt to the hot oil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 5 minutes.
• Remove the garlic and basil stems from the pot and stir in the ricotta. Add the pasta followed by the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Stir to combine and coat everything in the sauce.
• Cook for another 2 minutes to finish cooking the pasta and thicken the sauce slightly, adding pasta water if the sauce ever looks too dry. Stir in the chopped basil and serve topped with additional ricotta and Parmigiano-Reggiano.