Spicy Sicilian Pea Pepper Pesto Lasagne

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This recipe combines two different ones found online: one a spicy sicilian pesto with boiled pasta, and the other a pea and ricotta lasagne. The pesto calls for lots of pepper, mint combined with basil, and almond instead of pine nuts, making it a nice alternative to usual well-worn pesto the original pea and ricotta recipe calls for. The ingredients don’t need to be cooked beforehand, just combined, which eases preparation. Your vegetarian friends with a penchant for the piquant will love this one!

Ingredients

For the pesto:

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves, lightly packed, washed and spun dry
• 2 serrano chiles, stems and seeds removed
• ½ cup mint leaves
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 tablespoon hot red pepper flakes
• ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
• ¼ cup sliced blanched almonds
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup freshly grated Pecorino Siciliano plus ¼ cup set aside for garnish

For the pea and cheese filling:

• 3 cups whole-milk ricotta cheese (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 1 pound frozen peas, thawed
• 1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 ounce)
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
• 1 cup heavy cream

To assemble:

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 (8- to 9-ounce) box no-boil lasagna noodles (12 noodles)
• 1/2 cup toasted blanched almond slivers
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
• Olive oil, for coating the foil

What to do

For the pesto:

• Place the basil, mint, garlic, Serrano chilis, red pepper flakes, fennel seeds and almonds in a food processor and pulse 3 times to start the chopping process. Add the ½ cup oil and pulse 4 or 5 times to create a thick paste, (not a thin oily sauce). Add cheese and pulse once to mix in, season with salt if it needs it and remove to a container with a lid. Makes 1½ cups.

For the pea and cheese filling:

• Place all of the measured ingredients except the cream in the bowl of the food processor fitted with the blade attachment. With the food processor running, add the cream in a slow, steady stream until the mixture is almost smooth but some texture remains, about 45 seconds. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed. Leave the filling in the food processor.

To assemble:

• Pour the cream evenly over the bottom of a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Cover with a layer of 4 lasagna noodles, allowing them to overlap slightly. Using a spoon, evenly spread a third of the pea-ricotta filling over the noodles, then evenly spread half of the pesto over the filling. Evenly sprinkle half of the pine nuts over the pesto.
• Cover with another layer of 4 noodles. Evenly spread another third of the pea-ricotta filling over the noodles. (Do not cover with pesto.)
• Cover with the last 4 noodles. Evenly spread the remaining third of the pea-ricotta filling over the noodles, then evenly spread the remaining half of the pesto over the filling. Evenly sprinkle the remaining half of the toasted almonds over the pesto. Evenly arrange the mozzarella slices over the top. Coat 1 side of a large piece of aluminum foil with olive oil and cover the dish tightly with the foil, oil-side down.
• Bake until the sauce is starting to bubble around the edges, about 35 to 40 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the top and edges of the lasagna are lightly browned in spots and the filling is bubbling, about 15 minutes more. Let cool at least 10 minutes before serving.

Couscous Stuffed Chicken w/Feta, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, and Olives!

Ingredients:

For Couscous-

• 1 tbsp olive oil or coconut oil
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
• 4 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
• 4 tbsp green olives, chopped
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 (10 ounce) box couscous
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 lb feta cheese, crumbled

For Chicken-

• 4 (6 ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp olive or coconut oil
• 1 tbsp butter

For Sauce-

• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 6 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 4 tbsp roughly chopped olives
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1/4 lb feta cheese crumbled for garnish (optional)

What to do:

For the Couscous-

1. In a medium saucepan over medium high add olive oil, when hot, add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Add the sun dried tomatoes and saute for a few minutes. 
2. Add olives and chicken stock and bring to a boil.
3. Add couscous, cover, remove from heat, and let sit for 5 minutes.
4. Fluff with fork, season with salt and pepper. Spread two cups of couscous on a large plate, add 1/2 pound feta, and let cool. Keep the remaining hot to serve with chicken (in covered casserole dish). 

For the Chicken-

1. Trim chicken with boning knife. Start at top of breast and carefully butterfly the chicken so that it opens like a book.
2. When the couscous is cool enough to handle, carefully spoon the mixture into the chicken pocket. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
3. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and butter. Brown the chicken on both sides. 
4. Place chicken in baking dish and bake for 20 minutes or until done. 

For the Sauce-

1. In the saute pan that you cooked the chicken in, heat and add the garlic. 
2. Deglaze with white wine and lemon juice. Reduce by one third. Add in sun-dried tomatoes, let reduce for 2-3 minutes, add the olives, turn off heat, add the butter and stir to combine.

To serve, place couscous from oven on plate, cut chicken breast in half, top with sauce, crumble remaining feta cheese.

Optional: Serve with a light tomato salad (mix together 4 diced tomatoes, 1/2 purple onion diced, 1 handful parsley chopped, and the juice of 1/2 a lemon.