The Rescue Baker: Ready for Spring: Creamy Avocado Pasta

Is anyone else wondering what happened to winter? The weather has been so unseasonably mild, if I didn't know any better, I'd think it was May. Alas, it's March, spring hasn't even sprung, and while I'll take 73 degrees over 23 degrees in any season, it's still a little disconcerting.?

Speaking of spring and things you would not normally associate with one another, let's talk about avocados and pasta. I'm a *big* avocado fan; I love guacamole (in fact, I think I could eat it every single day), I always order avocado and mango rolls when I go out for sushi, and I'm so avocado-obsessed, I can come home, take a knife, score the flesh of an avocado and eat it straight out of its skin. It's bad. If you would have told me it's possible to create a creamy sauce out of this amazing fruit (yes, avocado is a fruit and not a vegetable), it never would have occurred to me that it could be so good.?

Confession: I'm becoming a total Pinterest junkie. In fact, I get most of my food porn?recipe ideas there lately. (I have noticed there are other channels besides "Food & Drink" in the "Explore" tab, I just haven't bothered to explore them. Oh well). That's where I developed a craving for this dish. It struck me that this type of recipe -- an uncooked sauce mixed with warm pasta -- is akin to a pesto, which usually contains some type of nuts. For the creamy avocado sauce, I thought walnuts would work well, and I thought right. (However, I won't be sad if you leave them out because you don't care for nuts or have a nut allergy).

So, stop wrinkling up your nose at the idea of combining avocados with pasta. Try it. Then, tell me how much you loved it, and I'll tell you "I told you so."?

Enjoy!!

Creamy Avocado Pasta

(Discovered on Pinterest and adapted by TRB)

Serves 4

1 12oz. package whole wheat linguini

2 ripe avocados

Juice of 1 lemon

Pinch of salt and pepper

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 handful of walnuts (optional)

1/2 tsp. dried basil?

3 tbsp. olive oil

Parmesan cheese for topping

1. Bring a pot of water (seasoned with salt) to a boil. Add whole wheat linguini and cook according to package directions.

2. In a food processor, combine avocados, lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic, walnuts, basil and olive oil and pulse until creamy. (You may need to add more oil if texture is too chunky).?

3. Reserve 1/4 cup of cooking water for sauce.?

4. Drain pasta, add avocado sauce and reserved water. Toss until well combined. Top with parmesan cheese and serve.

Did you try this recipe? Post a comment below.

Source: http://therescuebaker.blogspot.com/2012/03/ready-for-spring-creamy-avocado-pasta.html

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