RECIPES: Pasta with chopping-board pistachio pesto

PASTA WITH CHOPPING-BOARD PISTACHIO PESTO

Serves 4 to 6 as a main dish.

Note: From "The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper" (Clarkston Potter, $35) by Lynne Rossetto Kasper and Sally Swift.

• 1/4 tsp. salt, plus extra for pasta water

• 1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

• 2 large garlic cloves

• 1 c. tightly packed and coarsely chopped fresh chives or green onion tops

• 4 tbsp. finely chopped red onion, divided

• 1/3 c. shelled salted pistachios or almonds

• 3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

• 1 lb. spaghetti or linguine

• 1 c. (4 oz.) grated Asiago or Stella Fontinella cheese

In a 6-quart pot over high heat, bring 5 quarts salted water to boil. Pile salt and pepper on a chopping block. Crush garlic into it with sides of a large knife, and finely chop. Add chives, basil and 2 tablespoons onion and continue chopping until pieces are cut very fine.

Add pistachios (or almonds) to pile and continue chopping until they are coarsely chopped. Directly on chopping board, blend in 2 tablespoons olive oil. Taste for salt and pepper and reserve.

Drop pasta into boiling water and cook at a fierce boil, stirring often, until it is tender but still a little firm to the bite. Scoop out 1 cup of pasta water and reserve. Quickly drain pasta.

Film empty pasta pot with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Place it over medium heat and sauté remaining 2 tablespoons onion for 1 minute. Stir in pesto and warm it for a few seconds over medium heat to let flavors blossom; do not cook it. Stir in about 1/3 cup of reserved pasta water to stretch sauce. Immediately pull pot off heat. Add drained pasta to pot and toss with pesto and cheese, adding more pasta water to mixture if it seems very dry. Taste for seasoning and serve.

Nutrition information per serving:

Diabetic exchanges per serving: 2 vegetable, 4 bread/starch, 1/2 high-fat meat, 3 fat.

DARK AND MOIST GINGERBREAD

Serves 6 to 8.

Note: "Don't forget to eat this for breakfast," write authors Lynne Rossetto Kasper and Sally Swift. "It's even better the day after it's baked." To measure flour: Dip measuring cup into flour sack, lifting it out heaped with flour, then sweep with a straight edge over cup to level it off; don't tap cup on counter. From "The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper."

• 2 c. minus 2 tbsp. flour (for measuring, see Note), plus extra for pan

• 1/2 tsp. salt

• 1 tbsp. ground ginger

• 3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

• 1/4 tsp. ground cloves

• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

• 3/4 c. mild or dark molasses

• 3/4 c. very hot (190 degrees) water

• 1/3 c. tightly packed dark brown sugar

• 1 egg

• Whipped cream, for serving

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour an 8-inch square light-colored metal baking pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and black pepper. In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter, molasses, hot water and brown sugar. When mixture is almost frothy, beat in egg, then gradually add in flour blend. Stir until thoroughly blended, but no more. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 35 minutes, or until tester inserted in center of cake comes out clean. For a moist gingerbread, cool cake in pan on a wire rack. For a drier consistency, cool cake in pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out of pan to a wire rack. Serve warm, with whipped cream.

Nutrition information per serving of 8:

Calories265Carbohydrates44 gProtein2 gFat10 gSaturated fat6 gCholesterol49 mgSodium330 mgCalcium85 mg

Dietary fiber1 g

Diabetic exchanges per serving: 3 other carb, 2 fat.

Serves 2 as a main dish, 4 as an appetizer.

Note: "Instead of the usual anchovy in the dressing, we have gone for the liquid gold, which embodies the flavor discovery of the new millennium: umami," write authors Lynne Rossetto Kasper and Sally Swift. "In this recipe, Asian fish sauce supplies the umami. It's always in our kitchens, while anchovies are only occasional visitors." From "The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper."

• 2 tbsp. tightly packed fresh tarragon leaves

• 3 large whole green onions

• 1 tbsp. tightly packed fresh parsley leaves

• 1 tsp. Asian fish sauce (nam pla or nuoc nam)

• 1 tsp. dark spicy mustard

• 1 tbsp. white wine or cider vinegar

• 1 ripe Hass avocado, peeled and cored

• 1/4 c. mayonnaise

• Salt

• 8 oz. cooked (and chilled) shrimp, cut into 1-inch pieces

• 1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces

• 1/2 medium head iceberg lettuce, cut into 1-inch squares

• 1 to 2 tightly packed tablespoons celery leaves (from top of stalks) or additional parsley leaves

In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, combine tarragon, green onions, parsley, olive oil, fish sauce, mustard, white wine (or cider vinegar), avocado, mayonnaise and pepper and pulse to puree. Season with salt and perhaps more vinegar. In a medium bowl, combine shrimp, cucumber and lettuce with 1/2 of dressing. Toss together and taste for seasoning. Serve salad in soup bowls, drizzled with remaining dressing and scattered with celery (or parsley) leaves.

Nutrition information per serving of 4:

Calories300Carbohydrates9 gProtein14 gFat24 gSaturated fat3 gCholesterol115 mgSodium350 mgCalcium71 mg

Dietary fiber4 g