The Bold Adventurer

This is a sponsored post written by Lex Daddio on behalf of Barilla®.

Hi friends! How are you today?! Bringing you a fun and different recipe today! This one is inspired by Thomas' love of all things Asian and stir fry and my love of all things Italian and pasta. Decided to bring the two together for a delicious pesto pasta stir fry using Barilla® Creamy Ricotta & Arugula.

The recipe honestly turned out so delicious with a fun little twist! I've joined a fun opportunity with Barilla to help them highlight their four varieties of pesto. They have 4 different flavors, each representing a different personality: Rustic Basil (The New Traditionalist), Classic Genovese (The Passionate Purist), Creamy Ricotta & Arugula (The Bold Adventurer), & Sundried Tomato (The Life of The Party). Can you tell which one I am?! I can’t wait to show you all of the versatile recipes I’m making with the Creamy Ricotta & Arugula pesto. To find out your pesto personality, keep on reading!

I can totally relate with the "The Bold Adventurer" personality, because it highlights people who specialize in potlucks, family gatherings, friend collaborations, and who love showcasing their travel experiences by incorporating cultural ingredients into their dishes. Since we love to cook and share with others, I thought this match was perfect. Also, not sure if you guys know but I have traveled all over Europe, and one of my favorite things to do was fully immerse myself in the cultures and experience all the tastes of their cuisine. I love to travel and try new and different foods. Since we don't have any travel plans right now, getting to add some fun dishes inspired by different cultures in our own kitchen sounded like fun to me! So exciting and fun! I used to be so afraid to play around in the kitchen, because I thought I wasn't good enough. Let me tell you, practicing is the only way to learn how to cook!

Alright, now let me share a little more about Barilla pesto! If you know me, you know I absolutely love pesto. It is one of my favorite ingredients to use to seriously upgrade the flavor of a recipe. Keeping some stocked in my pantry is a must. When I tried the Barilla pesto, I LOVED it. It's extremely flavorful and made with quality ingredients including 100% Italian basil. It's also convenient if you don't have time to make a homemade sauce. The best part is it's incredibly versatile. Spread, stir, marinate, you name it. That's where part of these recipe inspirations come from, by showing you less traditional ways of using pesto! Now, without further ado, let's get to the recipe!

Stir-Fry Creamy Ricotta & Arugula Pesto Pasta
Servings: 4

• 1/2 box Barilla® Angel Hair
• 1 jar Barilla® Creamy Ricotta & Arugula Pesto
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, blistered
• 1 head of broccoli
• 1 yellow bell pepper
• 1-2 cup sugar snap peas
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Sea salt & pepper, to taste

1. Chop broccoli and dice red bell pepper. Then, using a cast iron skillet, heat with olive oil on medium heat. When hot, add in the pint of cherry tomatoes. Let sit for 2-3 minutes until they start to blister and season with sea salt. Then, mix around and let cook for about 3 more minutes. Remove for the iron, and set aside.
2. Add in a little more oil to the skillet, and add in broccoli, yellow bell pepper and sugar snap peas. Season with sea salt and pepper. Let cook down for about 7 minutes and stir occasionally.
3. While the veggies are cooking, fill a pot with water and sea salt and bring to a boil. Cook 1/2 box of angel hair pasta until al dente. Drain pasta.
4. Once the veggies are done, throw vegetables and pasta into a mixing bowl. Add in pesto. Then throw in the cherry tomatoes. Serve with a glass of wine or LaCroix, and enjoy :)

• Barilla Rustic Basil - The New Traditionalist (Love of classic dishes, putting spins on traditional recipes)
• Barilla Classic Genovese - The Passionate Purist (Obsessed with plating, presentation and modernity with their recipes)
• Barilla Creamy Ricotta & Arugula - The Bold Adventurer (Adventurous in the kitchen and enjoy travel and cultural ingredients)
• Barilla Sun-Dried Tomato - Life of the Party (Expressive party hosts, decorators and DIYers with a strong voice)

What’s your Pesto personality? Share your creations on Instagram using #PestoBesto!

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