Pasta that was Indianized!!!

A birdie chirped in the news that Indiblogger is hosting a food challenge with Del-monte, seeking recipes using their products. I thought I will try my hand on it, considering I already had a few of the brand’s product, lying in the kitchen.

Del-monte is an Indian brand selling products of foreign origin (pasta, Extra Virgin Olive oil & olives). But in this age of technology, every household has a day dedicated to a pizza & pasta dinner. And I am a fan of olives all through and through, so EVO oil is a staple in my kitchen, along with a bottle of green and black preserved olives. So I thought I will give these very foreign ingredients, an Indian twist of cumin and coriander. So here is my recipe, which gives the Del-monte products an all necessary, Indian makeover!!

Ingredients

Two handfuls of Del Monte Penne Rigate pasta

A small bunch of fresh coriander roughly chopped

2 cloves of garlic (big sized)

2 green chillies

1 tsp whole cumin seeds

1 tsp caraway seeds (Alsi seeds; optional)

2 tbsp peanuts

Lemon juice and zest

6-7 Del Monte Pitted Black Olives
2 tbsp chopped roasted walnuts

Salt & pepper

Del Monte Extra Virgin Olive oil

Grated Parmigiano reggiano (optional)

Method

In a food processor or mixer, blend together coriander, green chillies, peanuts, caraway seeds, cumin seeds and garlic to a paste (add 1 tsp water to help blending). Do not add any extra water; use lemon juice as a source of hydrant instead.

Once thoroughly ground, transfer the paste to a mixing bowl and whisk in 2-3 tbsp of Del Monte Extra Virgin Olive oil. Try to drip in the oil slowly, while whisking constantly. Season it well using salt and pepper and let it rest for a while.

Cook your pasta in salted water according to the instructions written on the pack. Once you are happy with the texture of pasta, drain the water off in a separate bowl. We might need a couple of tbsp of pasta cooking water to thin our dish later.

Now simply combine the cooked pasta, walnuts and chopped olives with the coriander mix. Add in a good amount of lemon zest (to taste) and mix well. If the mix is too dry, add in a bit of the cooking water to hydrate the dish.

Finally, drizzle with some Del Monte Extra Virgin Olive oil for added flavour, and grate on a good amount of parmigiano cheese.

A delicious, fast and very healthy pasta dish created in a jiffy, but with an Indian twist. 

Cheers!!