Penne Pasta with Brown Butter, Arugula, and Pine Nuts
My Husband, Tim has been wanting me to make a dish that contains Pine Nuts. I said “OK?”, we are not squirrels, but what the hay, I’m game! So I went in search of some recipes and stumbled across some interesting facts about pine nuts!
First of all, did you know that pine ‘nuts’ are not actually nuts but are in fact the edible seeds from about 20 different species of pine cones?
They’ve certainly secured their spot in some of the most loved cuisines in history (pesto pasta anyone?) and the news to really go nuts about, is that these tiny seeds are bursting with health benefits too. Don’t let their small size fool you – pine nuts hit the mark in the nutrition stakes…
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So I surprised Tim with this dinner and we were both pleasantly surprised! It was REALLY good!
The Dressing called for Lemon zest and Lemon juice. But Y’all – I added a drop of Lemon Essential Oil to this and OMG!! What a difference it made!! It really brought out the lemon flavor!!
FYI – Please use CPTG (Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade) Essential Oils if you are going to ingest or use essential oils. Please make sure it is 100% pure!!!
Penne Pasta with Brown Butter, Arugula, and Pine Nuts
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 each Large Lemon Zested and Juiced Can substitute using Lemon Essential Oil
- or 2 drops Lemon Essential Oil See note above on Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade EO
- 2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- 1 lb Penne Rigate Pasta
- 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) Unsalted Butter, Cut Into 1/2 Pieces, at Room Temperature
- 4 cups Baby Arugula
- 1 cup Cherry or Grape Tomatoes, Halved
- 1 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
- 1/2 cup Toasted Pine Nuts See note below
- 2 tsp Capers, Rinsed and Drained
Instructions
- For the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice (or the lemon essential oil), lemon zest, salt, and pepper until smooth. Set aside.
- For the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm tothe bite, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water.
- In a high-sided skillet, whisk the butter ove rmedium heat until melted. Simmer until foamy. Continue to cook until the butter has a nutty aroma and turns a caramel color, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the panf rom the heat.
- Add the pasta, dressing, arugula, tomatoes,Parmesan, pine nuts, and capers. Toss until coated, adding the reserved pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time to loosen the sauce, if needed.
- Transfer to a large bowl and serve.
Notes
Recipe credit: Giada De Laurentiis
Leave me a comment – I would LOVE to know how you liked this recipe!
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