Hazelnut Cream Spaghetti with Balsamic Mushroom, Roasted Tomatoes and Kale

It's springtime and I've got spaghetti on my mind! This Hazelnut Cream Spaghetti with Balsamic Mushroom, Roasted Tomatoes and Kale is the perfect mid-week dish that will have you rethinking your weeknight dining. Open another bottle of Chardonnay because this dish is calling its name.

Everyone knows that a quick google search for "easy weeknight dinner recipes" illicit numerous pasta recipes under 30 minutes. We get it, spaghetti is simple; and there's no denying that mid-week we need easy. There is nothing we want less than to spend two hours in the kitchen cooking dinner after a long days work. But, just because spaghetti is quick and easy does not mean it can't be gourmet!

If there is anything I have learned from living in France it's that meal time should never be compromised. Yes, it can be more time efficient, but our taste buds always deserve a delicious chef worthy meal. I kid you not, the level of importance the French place on meal time is something to envy. I've seen it with my own eyes; two hour lunches midweek, consisting of three course meals with wine and cheese. It's is a way of life. And although I haven't yet been able to commit myself to mid-week long lunches I have been able to utilize this respect for gourmet into my weeknight dinners.

Enter this Hazelnut Cream Spaghetti with Balsamic Mushroom, Roasted Tomatoes and Kale! This spaghetti recipe is an easy one to toss together, and is full of umami! It drizzles hazelnut cream over the spaghetti for a thick, rich and gourmet sauce. Then adds pan-fried balsamic glazed mushrooms, roasted tomatoes and kale. Twirl this medley onto a fork and welcome to restaurant "Chez Moi." It is sooo decadent you won't believe the level of ease and speed. I love mid-week dishes that are quick to toss together like this one, but can also double as a rich and tantalizing dinner night with friends. You know those Friday mornings when hubby forget to mention he invited his boss and wife over for dinner? Goodbye panic; hello hostess with the mostest.

So pour another glass of vino, and another scoop of this tantalizing Hazelnut Cream Spaghetti with Balsamic Mushroom, Roasted Tomatoes and Kale. Just because we have work tomorrow doesn't mean our taste buds can't party it up.

Bon appetit!

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Hazelnut Cream Spaghetti with Balsamic Mushroom, Roasted Tomatoes and Kale

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Serves: 4| Prep Time: overnight + 15 minutes (15 minutes active prep)| Cook Time: 20 mins

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Ingredients:

• 1 punnet cherry tomatos (approx. 250 g)

• 1 tbsp grapeseed oil, plus more if needed

• 1 punnet white mushrooms (approx. 300g)

• 1 tbsp more grapeseed oil, plus more if needed

• splash balsamic vinaigrette

• 500g whole wheat spaghetti noodles

• 2 handfuls kale, stems removed and chopped

• sea salt and pepper, to taste

• sliced radish (optional for topping)

• sesame seeds (optional for topping)

For the hazelnut cream sauce:

• 3/4 cup hazelnuts (soaked overnight)

• 1 1/2 cups reserved pasta water

• 4 cloves garlic

• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast

• the juice of 1 lemon

• sea salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 200C (400F). Paint cherry tomatoes with oil and place in oven to roast for 20 minutes, or until bright and bursted.

2. Add oil to a skillet and bring to medium heat. Add mushrooms and fry, stirring occasionally until cooked (approx. 10 minutes). Then, add a generous splash of balsamic vinaigrette, sea salt and pepper to taste, and cook mushrooms in balsamic until it's absorbed entirely (approx. 1-2 minutes). Remove from heat and place to the side

3. In a large pot bring water to a boil. Cook spaghetti until just undercooked (approx. 8 minutes). Strain spaghetti reserving the pasta water for the hazelnut cream sauce, and toss spaghetti back into pot.

4. In a blender prepare your hazelnut cream sauce: add soaked hazelnuts, 1 1/2 cups reserved pasta water, garlic cloves, nutritional yeast, the juice of one lemon, and pinch sea salt and pepper. Blend until smooth and creamy, adding more sea salt and pepper if desired. Pour hazelnut cream sauce over spaghetti and bring to low heat mixing the sauce with spaghetti until al-dente. Add more reserved pasta water to thin sauce if desired. Then add your balsamic mushrooms and kale, and toss to combine. Add more sea salt and pepper to taste. Scoop spaghetti onto serving plates and top with roasted cherry tomatoes, sliced radish and sesame seeds.

Approvals:

Allergies:

VEGAN - VEGETARIAN - DAIRY-FREE - SOY-FREE

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