Penne Paesana (as copied from ASK restaurant!) (Rice & Pasta Dishes)

Member Name: londongirl

Product:	Rice & Pasta Dishes
Date:	08/11/08 (608 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Quick and delicious

Disadvantages: It can sometimes end up a bit different each time!

Penne Paesana (Chicken and mushroom pesto pasta)

My mum and I have tried to copy this recipe from ASK pizza/pasta restaurant. After a few experiments (especially with the amount of pesto and oil) we have now created a somewhat passable copy of the restaurant dish.

Now i know recipes should have accurate quanities of ingredients but thats not really how we did it - more by eye and judgement so thats what i'll write here.

You will need:
Chicken breasts (between half and 1 for each person depending on how many mushrooms you will use or how much meat you like in your pasta)
Green pesto sauce (tesco own brand one is nice and good value. My mum likes the Jamie Oliver one - personally i can't tell much difference!)
Pine nuts (handful)
White mushrooms
Penne pasta (fresh or dried)
Olive oil


Instructions:

Slice the mushrooms
Slice the chicken into small pieces. We have found to get the best slices microwave the chicken first then slice it and then pan fry it in oil. This way you get flat slices rather than "chunks" if you try and cut it raw.
Heat the oil and pan fry the chicken while the pasta is boiling.
Once the chicken is nearly cooked throw in the mushroom as a little more oil and cook until soft.
I use a wok to cook these in but a frying pan or griddle pan would work too.

In a separate small frying pan once the pasta is nearly cooked. Lightly toast the pine nuts. If you have a non-stick pan these need no oil added. Keep an eye on them though as they will turn brown all of a sudden and need to be taken off the heat straight away otherwise another few seconds and they might be burn.

Drain the pasta once cooked and then put back on the heat and stir in the pesto sauce. A whole jar if making for four people, half a jar for two people as it is an oil based sauce and goes a long way.

Once the pasta is coated in the pesto add in the chicken and mushrooms and reheat everything gently. Add a tiny bit of oil if desired if it appears a little dry now the chicken and mushrooms are in there too.

The dish you get at ASK restaurant always is swimming in oil but i prefer to make this a little drier.

Finally service in pasta bowls ensuring everyone gets some pieces of chicken and mushroom and then sprinklke the top with the toasted pine nuts and if you desire grated parmasan cheese.

If you prefer to mix the pine nuts in then do that at the stage where you add the chicken and mushrooms to the pasta.

Summary: Delicious!! (and a lot cheaper than £8 in the restaurant!)