Mario Batali’s Edible Garden Recipe of the Day: Penne with Arugula, Ricotta, and Pepperoncino

Posted in Mario Batali's Edible Garden on September 2 2011, by Ann Rafalko

From August 27 – September 25, families can explore Mario Batali’s Edible Garden in the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden and enjoy daily gardening activities and cooking demonstrations showcasing kid-friendly recipes with the chance to sample and search for ingredients in the garden. We are posting the recipes from Mario Batali’s Edible Garden here on the NYBG blog, Plant Talk, so check back often.

Penne with Arugula, Ricotta, and Pepperoncino

Dan Drohan, Executive Chef, OTTO Enoteca Pizzaria, New York

Arugula Pesto

3 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon pine nuts
2 cups arugula leaves, tightly packed, rinsed and dried
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1 pound penne
1 cup Arugula Pesto
2 peperoncini
1 garlic clove, sliced
2 tablespoons pecorino romano
2 tablespoons fresh ricotta

Drop the garlic into a food processor to chop. Add the pine nuts and arugula and pulse until the arugula is finely chopped. With the motor running, drizzle in the oil. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the parmigiano. Set aside. The pesto can be stored in a tightly sealed jar, topped with a thin layer of extra virgin olive oil, for several weeks in the refrigerator.

Bring 8 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot.

Meanwhile, in a small sauté pan, sweat the garlic and pepperoncini until the garlic is lightly toasted. Remove from heat.

When water is boiling, add 2 tablespoons of salt and drop in pasta. Cook pasta until two minutes short of package cooking time, reserving half cup of cooking liquid.

Transfer pasta to serving bowl and toss with pesto, pepperoncini, reserved pasta water, and pecorino. Serve immediately with dollops of fresh ricotta on top