A Recipe for Smoked Salmon Pesto Pasta with Pine Nuts

I'm a hedonist when it comes to food. I love everything from rustic comfort food to fusion haute cuisine. Since I'm not a wealthy person, this means that the gourmet cooking is up to me. That's no problem, because I also love to cook.

I love the entire process. I love the smells and the pleasant feelings associated with making food. I love pampering the people I love with good and decadent food. I particularly enjoy taking foods I'm crazy about and combining them in different ways.

This dish combines three things I'm wild about - smoked salmon, pine nuts, and pesto. It's delicious but very easy to prepare.

Ingredients:

6 ounces smoked salmon

8 ounces prepared basil pesto sauce

4 tablespoons pine nuts

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 clove of garlic, diced or run through a garlic press

8 oz (dry weight) pasta of choice - I prefer rotini

3 quarts of water

1 teaspoon of salt plus salt to taste

3 ounces of shredded asiago cheese

Preparation:

Add the extra virgin olive oil to a 10" (or larger) non-stick skillet. With the heat on medium, toast the pine nuts in the olive oil until golden brown. Immediately add the prepared pesto to the pan and stir to prevent the pine nuts from burning. Add the garlic and mix it in. Cook on medium, stirring frequently until the mixture is heated throughout. Break the smoked salmon into bite-sized pieces and add to the mixture, draining any fluid from its packaging into the pan with it. Reduce heat and cook until the smoked salmon is heated through, stirring very gently to avoid breaking the smoked salmon into pieces that are too small.

Meanwhile, bring 3 quarts of water with one teaspoon of salt to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add the rotini or other pasta and reduce heat, boiling the pasta for about 8 to 12 minutes until done. How well you cook it depends on personal preference. Cook longer for softer pasta and less for pasta al dente. Drain the pasta and add the pesto and smoked salmon mixture to the pot. Toss well to coat. Add salt as needed to taste.

Top it off with asiago cheese and garnish as desired.

Variations:

Rehydrated sun dried tomatoes can be added with the pesto sauce, either finely chopped or cut into bite-sized pieces.

Fresh steamed asparagus spears or pieces can be added either just before the smoked salmon is added or they can be used as a garnish.

Suggested garnishes:

Fresh basil leaves

Parsley

Re-hydrated sun dried tomatoes, finely chopped

Steamed asparagus