KELSEY'S LEMON & BASIL PASTA

MEET THE CHEF

We know that you're as mad about cooking as we are, which is why we are super excited to announce our partnership with MasterChef's Kelsey Murphy! US Season 11 winner Kelsey will be sharing home-cook adaptations of her winning MasterChef recipes as well as some new creations with us here! 

Born and raised Chicago girl Kelsey currently lives in Indianapolis with her husband and three kids. She specialises in Modern American Cuisine inspired by her background growing up in an Italian and Polish family where food was always a focus and large Sunday dinners were a tradition never to be missed. Through the years she has continued to teach herself new techniques and experiment with flavours for her family. 

A frontrunner throughout the series, she created no less than 20 dishes in challenges presented by some of the biggest names in the culinary world. Kelsey's winning creations in the final were steak tartare canape, lobster/crab ravioli appetizer, crispy-skinned duck entrée and a blueberry lavender panna cotta dessert. She focuses on respecting ingredients for what they are, letting each shine on the plate, and bringing together flavors from many American cultures. 

ABOUT THE RECIPE

Using just a MasterChef Blender and a large frying pan, this one-pot pasta dish is great for utilising seasonal ingredients when spring time comes around. Pairing asparagus with sausage and a pasta of your choice, Kelsey brings a freshness and acidity to this otherwise fatty dish with her basil, lemon and olive pasta sauce. The creaminess of this dish comes from the low-calorie starchy secret in every home cook’s back pocket: pasta water. Always reserve a generous serving of salted pasta water to bring the green sauce to your desired consistency. A perfect dish to feed a family with minimal cleanup, the inclusion of organic salinity from the olives and seasonal asparagus makes this a perfect springtime dish and introduces unexpected flavours to your standard meaty pasta. The best part is, with the MasterChef 24cm frying pan, you can easily place this atop an oven mitt and allow the family to dig in themselves! Bon Appetit.

THE RECIPE CARD

KELSEY'S ZESTY LEMON & BASIL PENNE


Servings

6

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cook Time

20 minutes

Equipment

Fry Pan, Sauce Pan, Table Blender, Chef's Knife, Cutting Board, Zester, Juicer, Utensils

Ingredients

1lb short cut pasta
1lb hot Italian sausage
3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
1 cup asparagus
¼ cup dry white wine such a Sauvignon Blanc
¾ cup grated parmesan cheese
½ cup fresh basil
½ cup fresh parsley
½ cup green olives
1 green onion
2tbs apple cider vinegar
½ lemon
⅓ olive oil

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling add in enough salt so the water tastes like the ocean.

2. Add pasta to water, stir, and cook to al dente. Reserve ½ c pasta water before draining.

3. Using your MasterChef blender add basil, parsley, olives, green onion, vinegar, lemon juice and zest, and olive oil.

4. Blend on high until smooth. Add more olive oil if needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Heat a 12 inch skillet over medium heat. Add 1T olive oil followed by Italian sausage.

6. Using spatula or wooden spoon, break up sausage into small, bite-size pieces. Brown all over, about 5 minutes.

7. Reduce heat to low and add in minced garlic, red pepper flakes, and asparagus. Cook 3 minutes until tender.

8. Add in wine and simmer to reduce, another 3 minutes. Once reduced add in pasta and parmesan cheese.

9. Finally, add in sauce from blender and toss with pasta. If sauce is too thick add in a little pasta water at a time.

10. Serve and top with additional parmesan and fresh pepper or herbs if desired.