This post is sponsored by California Ripe Olives and CA Grown.
Come Spring, the local farmer’s market is beaming with beautiful spring produce, think artichokes, fresh green peas, radishes, asparagus, heirloom carrots and so on and so forth. I get inspired with the colors and shapes of these fresh vegetables to create dishes in my kitchen for my family.
I love simple preparations such as grilled asparagus in olive oil, salt and red chilli flakes, along with a squeeze of lemon on the top. Add some nuts and a bit of goat cheese and it becomes a wonderful light spring dish.
Green peas get me excited where each pod needs to be opened to reveal those beautiful green peas. I get my kids to work and have them open up those pods – well many hands make light work!
How did I come up with the Artichoke, Green Peas and Green Olives Pasta?
I have been thinking of a dish for Spring that anyone could make for a Spring soiree or an Easter party or a lovely ladies brunch on a crisp and bright weekend. Room temperature pastas are perfect for these occasions, especially to serve as a host. They are transportable as well, which makes it attractive as a dish to take.
I love the combination of artichoke, green peas, mint and basil, and a pesto with those ingredients, along with some nuts and cheese would be bright, fresh and springy.
Ingredients of the Artichoke, Green Pea and Basil Pesto
The ingredients of the artichoke, green pea and basil pesto are:
- Marinated artichokes: You can get marinated artichokes at your local grocery store. You can even find them online.
- Green Peas: You can use fresh or frozen peas, but if you are able to get your hands on fresh peas, that would be my preferred choice.
- Herbs like fresh basil and mint: provide the necessary herbaceousness to the pesto.
- Pine nuts: be sure that they are toasted to light golden brown in color.
- Grated Parmesan: buy good quality Parmesan for a good quality pesto
- Green garlic or garlic cloves: Since it is spring, green garlic is in abundance everywhere. If you are able to get your hands on green garlic, it provides a wonderful aroma to the pesto. Garlic cloves work too.
- Salt and pepper
- Good quality extra-virgin olive oil
The Artichoke, Green Pea and Basil Pesto is made by grinding all the ingredients except the extra-virgin olive oil in a food processor until almost fully blended. Extra-virgin olive oil is added in the end and mixed to make a homogenous pesto.
Can I make the pesto in advance?
The Artichoke, Green Pea and Basil Pesto can be made a week in advance of making the final pasta dish.
How long can I store the pesto?
The pesto can be stored in a glass jar, in the fridge for upto 3 weeks.
California Ripe Olives
My favorite way to use canned California Ripe Olives is to make an olive tapenade, that is smothered over buttery crostinis, along with a bit of burrata as a snack. Or use the delicious olive tapenade to make a vegetable loaded sandwich with sprouts and Havarti cheese. Be sure to get good quality bread to make these sandwiches.
Canned California Ripe Olives are a staple in my pantry as I love them in my salads as well.
California produces over 95% of the olives grown in the US. Hundreds of farmers and their families work each year to bring California Ripe Olives from their farms to our table. The groves range from small 5-acre lots to 1,000-acre farms. No matter where they come from, each olive is treated with the highest level of care from planting to harvesting.
Olive trees are naturally an alternate bearing fruit. The production amounts can vary from 50,000 tons one year to over 160,000 the next. Olive trees generally bloom in May, with small cream-colored flowers blooming throughout the orchards and start to ripen throughout the summer. Harvest is in September and ends in mid-November while the olives are still green in color, but are starting to darken.
My favorite canned olives are the green olives which are briny and salty in taste and ever so slightly bitter than it’s black olive counterpart.
Ingredients for the Artichoke, Green Pea and Green Olives Pasta
The ingredients for the Artichoke, Green Pea and Green Olives Pasta are as below:
- Pasta: I really like Campanelle and Cavatappi pasta, because the pesto tends to stick in the nooks and crannies of the pasta quite well.
- Marinated artichokes
- Green Olives: I use canned California Ripe Green Olives that are buttery and salty in taste.
- Pine nuts
- Grated Parmesan
- Watermelon radish: that is thinly sliced and cut into half. I use a mandolin to thinly slice the radish.
Let’s make the Artichoke, Green Pea and Green Olives Pasta
Once the pasta is made, it is easy to assemble the pasta with the remainder of the ingredients. You can simply add all the ingredients onto a large platter, and mix it well with 2 large serving spoons until well combined.
I leave a few green olives and radishes for the final garnish, and I also love some freshly grated Parmesan, and freshly zested lemon as well for that zing Spring factor.
How do I know that my pine nuts are toasted enough?
- When toasting pine nuts, you have to toast it on medium heat, so as not to burn them firstly. Secondly, toast it for about 3 minutes, tossing the pan occasionally to move them around. The pine nuts should be toasted until you can smell the aroma of the nuts, along with a light golden brown color on the nuts.
Where can I find marinated artichokes?
- You can get marinated artichokes at your local grocery store. You can even find them online.
Can I make the pasta in advance? If so, how many days prior can I make it?
- The pasta can be made a day in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. When serving, plate it onto a platter, garnish with the green olives and radish slices, some freshly grated Parmesan and lemon zest.
What do I serve the pasta with?
- The pasta is best served with a light white wine, such as a Riesling or a Sauvignon Blanc.
How can I store the leftovers?
- The leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for upto a week.
- The leftovers can also be frozen in a ziplock bag or a container. Thaw it and bring it to room temperature prior to serving.
Other fun spring recipes that are on my blog:
If you do make this recipe, please do not forget to tag #thejamlab on Instagram and/or leave a comment on this blog post.
XO
Amisha
Artichoke Green Peas and California Ripe Olives Pasta
Ingredients
Artichoke, Green Pea and Basil Pesto
(Makes about 3 cups)
- 1 cup marinated artichokes
- 1 cup fresh green peas
- ½ cup fresh basil
- ¼ cup fresh mint
- ⅓ cup toasted pine nuts
- ½ cup grated Parmesan
- 1 green garlic stalk or 3–4 garlic cloves
- 2 teaspoons table salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1 + ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
For the pasta
- 1 pound preferred pasta (I used Campanelle)
- ½ cup marinated artichokes, coarsely chopped
- ¾ + ¼ canned California ripe green olives, cut into half
- ½ cup toasted pine nuts
- 1 radish, thinly sliced, each slice cut into half
- ½ cup grated Parmesan
Garnish
- Grated Parmesan
- Zest of 1 small lemon
Get Recipe Ingredients
Method
Artichoke, Green Pea and Basil Pesto
- In a medium pot, fill water halfway up the pot. On medium-high heat, bring the water to a boil. Add the green peas and cook for a minute. Drain the water and peas through a mesh sieve. Run the sieve with the green peas under cold water to stop the cooking process.
- Add all the ingredients except the extra-virgin olive oil into a food processor. Process the ingredients until it is a smooth-ish paste.
- Add 1 cup of the extra-virgin olive oil and run the food processor once more to make a smooth pesto.
- Remove the pesto into a container. Top it off with the ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil for preservation.
For the pasta
- Cook the pasta per package instructions.
- In a large platter, add the pasta, 1 ½ cups of the pesto, chopped marinated artichokes, ¾ cup green olives, radish slices (remove a few for garnish), Parmesan.
- Toss all of the ingredients until well combined.
- Garnish with the remaining ¼ green olives, remaining radish slices, freshly zested lemon, and grated Parmesan.
- Serve immediately.
Note
- This pasta can be stored in the refrigerator for upto 4 to 5 days.
- The pasta transports well and is eaten at room temperature, so it is great to take for Spring get-togethers.
Notes
How do I know that my pine nuts are toasted enough?
- When toasting pine nuts, you have to toast it on medium heat, so as not to burn them firstly. Secondly, toast it for about 3 minutes, tossing the pan occasionally to move them around. The pine nuts should be toasted until you can smell the aroma of the nuts, along with a light golden brown color on the nuts.
Where can I find marinated artichokes?
- You can get marinated artichokes at your local grocery store. You can even find them online.
Can I make the pasta in advance? If so, how many days prior can I make it?
- The pasta can be made a day in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. When serving, plate it onto a platter, garnish with the green olives and radish slices, some freshly grated Parmesan and lemon zest.
What do I serve the pasta with?
- The pasta is best served with a light white wine, such as a Riesling or a Sauvignon Blanc.
How can I store the leftovers?
- The leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for upto a week.
- The leftovers can also be frozen in a ziplock bag or a container. Thaw it and bring it to room temperature prior to serving.
