Penne Pasta in Pumpkin Sauce

Ingredients:

Olive Oil - 4 tbsp
Red Capsicum - 1 roughly chopped
Pumpkin - 1 big piece
Penne Pasta - 250 gm
Milk - 200 ml
Black salt - 1 tsp
Whole pepper - 12 nos
Broccoli - 1 floret cut and blanched
Pepper powder - according to taste
Salt - according to taste
Mixed herbs - 1 1/2 tsp
Basil leaves - a few
Olives - a few
Cream/Cream Cheese - 2 tbsp
Grated Cheese - a little for garnish

Method :

Boil the pasta and give it a cold water wash. Keep it aside.
Next add 2 tbsp olive oil in a wok and add the pumpkin and saute for 7 mins.
Next add the red capsicum, 1 tsp black salt  and the whole pepper.
Saute till the veggies become soft and tender. Turn off the gas. Allow it to cool.
Add the milk to the pumpkin mixture and blend it to smooth paste,
Next heat the remaining 2 tbsp oil and add the cooked pasta. Saute for a few minutes.
Then add the broccoli and black salt. Saute for a few more minutes.
Pour the pumpkin sauce into the pasta. Add the herbs and  basil leaves also.
Saute for 2 mins. Add the cream next and mix well.
Turn off the heat and garnish with olives and cheese.

P.S - Cream is optional. You can avoid it if you a calorie conscious. This will turn intro an ekadesi recipe if you minus the pasta and add veggies only.

Basil Pesto Pasta

Ingredients:

Basil Pesto sauce

Basil, fresh- 1 cup tightly packed
Pine nuts/ walnuts- 1/4 cup
Grapeseed oil- 1/4 cup
Lemon juice- 1/2 tablespoon
salt to taste
black pepper to taste

Basil Pesto Pasta

Pasta, uncooked- 1 cup
Sun Dried tomatoes- 2 tablespoon, finely chopped
frozen green peas- 1/2 cup
salt to taste
grated Parmesan cheese- 1/4 cup
grapeseed oil- 1 tablespoon
Milk- 1/8 cup (optional)
Pine nuts, to garnish- 1/8 cup (optional)

Method:

Basil Pesto sauce:

• Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend it to a smooth paste.

• If  you are using walnuts, either chop them before blending or pulse the walnuts first and then bleand it with the remaining ingredients.

Basil Pesto Pasta:

• Boil water in a pot and cook the pasta a la dente with a tablespoon of olive oil and salt.

• Drain the pasta and retain 1 cup of the pasta stock.

• Heat a pan. Add the pesto sauce and pasta stock to make the sauce creamy.

• Add the cooked pasta, frozen peas, sun dried tomatoes and milk(optional).

• Cook for 5-10 minutes on a medium flame.

• Turn off the heat and garnish with grated Parmesan cheese and pinenuts.