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Colossal Flavor of Roasted Garlic and Nut

By Joan C. Miller, Professional Cook and Food Expert

Create incredibly flavorful food with the addition of roasted garlic and pine nuts. Transform pasta salad from ordinary to extraordinary! Mastering these simple preparations will expand your culinary repertoire and add enormous impact to dishes.

This is a big time of the year for barbeques and picnics. Roasted Garlic and Pine Nut Pasta Salad will win rave reviews and your guests will love it! The key components of this unique salad are roasted garlic, toasted pine nuts and fresh basil.

Two important techniques utilized in this recipe are roasting garlic and nuts. Roasting garlic results in a distinctive nutty, buttery and mellow flavor. Toasting heightens the flavor of any variety of nuts.

Garlic comes in the form of a highly aromatic bulb, covered in a papery husk layer and comprised of many small cloves. Different varieties of garlic include white skinned, pink skinned (Mexican) and purple skinned. The most common variety is white skinned garlic. To roast garlic, cut the top third of the bulb off. Place both pieces of the bulb on foil. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt and cracked pepper. Wrap in foil. Roast in a low oven (300 degrees) until the cloves are soft, about 1 hour. Let cool and remove the soft cloves from the papery garlic wrapping and puree with a little olive oil in either a food processor or use a mortar and pestle to achieve a smooth paste consistency. Add this ingredient a little at a time, to suit your personal taste. Any extra garlic can be added to mashed potatoes and many other dishes for a flavor boost.

Nuts are high in protein and B vitamins, but are also high in fat. Check freshness of the nuts. Due to their high fat content, nuts are

susceptible to rancidity. To toast pine nuts, place pine nuts on a sheet pan in a low (275 degree) oven until golden brown, watching closely to avoid burning. Cool. This technique can be used to enhance the flavor of any nut. Add nuts to salads, use as a finishing touch in vegetable dishes, and in baked goods such as cookies.

Roasted Garlic and Pine Nut Pasta Salad

• 1 lb. farfelle (bow-shaped noodles) or other pasta shape
• Roasted garlic (1 bulb to roast, amount depends on your taste)
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (also known as pinon nuts and pignole)
• 1/2 cup Provolone cheese, small dice
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/2 cup Salami, small dice
• 1/4 cup fresh Basil, chiffonade (finely sliced)
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil to coat
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• Kosher salt to taste

Cook pasta according to directions in boiling salted water. Drain in colander. In a large bowl, mix drained pasta, olive oil, roasted garlic puree, provolone cheese, salami, parmesan cheese, toasted pine nuts, freshly sliced basil, kosher salt and ground pepper. Chill. Garnish with an accent of fresh basil leaves. Your guests will be in for a marvelous treat.

Variations on this could include the additions of roasted red peppers or olives. If a vegetarian dish is desired, omit the salami. Substitute other selections of cheeses as well. Add your personal touch of creativity! Enjoy!