Help with this recipe

[Night Elf]

First, it calls for 1 teaspoon chili flakes. I couldn't find that in the store. I have chili powder at home. Can I use that? 

 

Second, it calls for 2 oz pesto. Does this mean liquid or weight measurement? The jar of pesto I bought has no nutritional label. In looking up calories online, Calorie King says 1/4 C (2 fluid ounces) is 230 calories. Fat Secret says 2 oz is 303 calories. Are they talking about weight? 

 

I'm recreating a Hello Fresh dish and I didn't have to worry about understanding it. They sent everything I needed in the bag including a small tube of pesto which must have been 2 oz since that is what the recipe says.

[Carol in Cal.]

I use chili powder instead of flakes all the time because I don't want to bite into a flake.  But be aware that the recipe will be warmer overall but with no hot spots.

 

Re. the pesto, they are talking about fluid oz I'm pretty sure, because pesto is gloppy.  Oz of weight refers to solid food like meat or grain.

[Night Elf]

I use chili powder instead of flakes all the time because I don't want to bite into a flake.  But be aware that the recipe will be warmer overall but with no hot spots.

 

Re. the pesto, they are talking about fluid oz I'm pretty sure, because pesto is gloppy.  Oz of weight refers to solid food like meat or grain.

 

So to measure it, I should use a 1 oz shot glass? I only have a 2 cup measuring cup and it seems too big to measure out only 2 oz.

 

Also, why are the two websites so different? There's a big difference between 230 and 303. If I go with fluid ounces, I'm going to call it 230 since it has it written clearly. The other site that says 303 just says 2 oz but is not clear on how it's measured.

Edited December 7, 2017 by Night Elf

[skimomma]

First, it calls for 1 teaspoon chili flakes. I couldn't find that in the store. I have chili powder at home. Can I use that? 

 

 

 

Chili flakes are usually called "crushed red pepper" on the bottle.  They should be in any grocery store, even the smallest.

 

You could substitute with a dash of cayenne (NOT a whole teaspoon!) but I would not use chili powder as that has other spices that might not go well with the rest of the recipe.

[Night Elf]

Chili flakes are usually called "crushed red pepper" on the bottle.  They should be in any grocery store, even the smallest.

 

You could substitute with a dash of cayenne (NOT a whole teaspoon!) but I would not use chili powder as that has other spices that might not go well with the rest of the recipe.

 

Ok, I did see crushed red pepper but didn't realize it was the same thing.

[marbel]

I wouldn't necessarily sub chili powder instead of chile flakes.  Chili powder is often a mix of ingredients, including chiles, but also other spices such as oregano, paprika, cumin...

 

Chlie flakes are pure chile.  

 

Here is an article from Bon Appetit on the differences, if anyone is interested.

 

ETA: As Skimomma said, chile flakes are crushed red peppers.  :-)

Edited December 7, 2017 by marbel

[Rachel]

I would look at the ounces in your pesto jar and just estimate the 2 oz.; so for an 8 oz jar, just use 1/4 of the jar.

 

Chili powder will be different than chili flakes but yes you could use it instead.

Edited December 7, 2017 by Rach

[regentrude]

Also, why are the two websites so different? There's a big difference between 230 and 303. 

 

There are many different pesto recipes. I would expect calories to vary greatly depending on the proportions of ingredients.

[Tanaqui]

First, it calls for 1 teaspoon chili flakes. I couldn't find that in the store. I have chili powder at home. Can I use that?

 

The word "chili" has different meanings. When they ask for chili flakes, they mean crushed red pepper, not smoked. When they ask for chili powder, they mean a different sort of pepper, often smoked, ground up with cumin, oregano, salt, and sometimes other spices. I would definitely NOT use chili powder in the same recipe as pesto. Egads, no.

[Kareni]

I'm wondering what recipe used both chili flakes and pesto.  Do share, please.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[bibiche]

I'm wondering what recipe used both chili flakes and pesto.  Do share, please.

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

I'm curious too. But really, don't stress about it. You don't need to be a slave to a recipe. That said, I agree with people who said to avoid substituting chili powder for the heat of red pepper flakes. ;)  Cayenne, yes, but chili powder no.

[marbel]

I add chile (red pepper) flakes to most of my recipes that include pesto.  Shrimp and pasta, pizza with pesto instead of tomato sauce, baked tomatoes with pesto sauce.  So I'd love that recipe too!

[Night Elf]

It's called "Little Ears" Pasta because it uses orecchiette pasta.

 

8 oz broccoli

9 oz sweet Italian pork sausage

6 oz. orecchiette pasta

1 tsp chili flakes

2 oz pesto

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

 

This makes 5 cups of the pasta dish.

 

Boil pasta, stirring occasionally, until al dente 9-12 minutes. Carefully scoop out and reserve 1/4 cup pasta cooking water, then drain.

 

Cut broccoli florets into bite sized pieces. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add broccoli and 2 tsp water. Cover and steam 3 minutes.

 

Uncover and increase heat to medium high. Cook, tossing occasionally until browned and tender, 3-6 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from pan and set aside.

 

Heat another drizzle of olive oil in same pan over medium high heat. Add sausage, breaking up meat into pieces. (Casings should have been removed if they were there.) Cook until crisp at edges and no longer pink, 4-5 minutes. Add a pinch of chili flakes (to taste) and cook another 30 seconds.

 

Add orecchiette, broccoli, pesto, pasta cooking water, and half the Parmesan to pan. Toss until everything is well-coated and a thick sauce has formed, 1-2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

 

Use leftover parmesan to sprinkle on finished dishes.

 

My family likes this dish. It's a Hello Fresh meal and is supposed to feed two people, but it makes 5 cups. That's a lot of food for two people, or at least for DH and me.

[marbel]

Sounds delicious!  

 

Don't use chili powder!  :-)

[Night Elf]

I would look at the ounces in your pesto jar and just estimate the 2 oz.; so for an 8 oz jar, just use 1/4 of the jar.

 

Chili powder will be different than chili flakes but yes you could use it instead.

 

It's a 3.5 oz jar. I took it out and weighed it and it's definitely by weight. I guess that means I'll use my food scale to measure out 2 oz. for the recipe. I'm so confused. I used the food scale and filled the shot glass to the 1 ounce mark and it was .8 ounces.

 

So I'm back to wondering how much pesto to put in the pasta. 2 oz by food scale weight, or 2 oz. using my 1 oz shot glass twice?

 

This is the only pesto pasta recipe I've ever tried and while it's good, I wouldn't want the pesto to be overpowering. That's why I'm worried about getting in just the same amount that Hello Fresh had in their tube.

[Night Elf]

Sounds delicious!  

 

Don't use chili powder!  :-)

 

I won't. I went back to the store for the crushed red pepper flakes.

[bibiche]

It's a 3.5 oz jar. I took it out and weighed it and it's definitely by weight. I guess that means I'll use my food scale to measure out 2 oz. for the recipe. I'm so confused. I used the food scale and filled the shot glass to the 1 ounce mark and it was .8 ounces.

 

So I'm back to wondering how much pesto to put in the pasta. 2 oz by food scale weight, or 2 oz. using my 1 oz shot glass twice?

 

This is the only pesto pasta recipe I've ever tried and while it's good, I wouldn't want the pesto to be overpowering. That's why I'm worried about getting in just the same amount that Hello Fresh had in their tube.

 

Put some and taste it. If it needs more, add more. Don't stress! :)

[Cosmos]

I use chili powder instead of flakes all the time because I don't want to bite into a flake.  But be aware that the recipe will be warmer overall but with no hot spots.

 

Re. the pesto, they are talking about fluid oz I'm pretty sure, because pesto is gloppy.  Oz of weight refers to solid food like meat or grain.

 

That isn't my experience. Any ingredient, liquid or solid, can be measured in weight (ounces or grams). In the recipe posted, several ingredients are listed in ounces, one is listed in teaspoons, and one is listed in cups. Teaspoons and cups can obviously only be volume measurements, while ounces can be either mass or volume (stupid system). But in American recipes, it's unusual for ounces to refer to volume unless the quantity is water or near water, in which case the volume/weight distinction is irrelevant. And often they are specifically listed as fl. oz. Also it would be confusing IMO to list several quantities by ounce, intending weight, and then another ingredient by ounces, but intending volume. So I doubt Hello Fresh would do that.

 

That's a way too long way of saying I would guess the recipe intends 2 ounces of pesto by weight. But personally I would just put in whatever amount looks good. It's not rocket science.

[Night Elf]

Put some and taste it. If it needs more, add more. Don't stress! :)

 

Good idea. I'm always a slave to a recipe. I do not consider myself a cook and that is why I'm thoroughly enjoying Hello Fresh. It's so easy to make these amazing meals when they send just the right stuff needed. I'm saving all the recipe cards for the meals we know we want to have again. DH wants to stay with Hello Fresh until we start seeing the same recipes over again. Then he feels it has done its job and we'll have a cookbook full of wonderful recipes.

[unsinkable]

It's called "Little Ears" Pasta because it uses orecchiette pasta.

 

8 oz broccoli

9 oz sweet Italian pork sausage

6 oz. orecchiette pasta

1 tsp chili flakes

2 oz pesto

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

 

This makes 5 cups of the pasta dish.

 

Boil pasta, stirring occasionally, until al dente 9-12 minutes. Carefully scoop out and reserve 1/4 cup pasta cooking water, then drain.

 

Cut broccoli florets into bite sized pieces. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add broccoli and 2 tsp water. Cover and steam 3 minutes.

 

Uncover and increase heat to medium high. Cook, tossing occasionally until browned and tender, 3-6 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from pan and set aside.

 

Heat another drizzle of olive oil in same pan over medium high heat. Add sausage, breaking up meat into pieces. (Casings should have been removed if they were there.) Cook until crisp at edges and no longer pink, 4-5 minutes. Add a pinch of chili flakes (to taste) and cook another 30 seconds.

 

Add orecchiette, broccoli, pesto, pasta cooking water, and half the Parmesan to pan. Toss until everything is well-coated and a thick sauce has formed, 1-2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

 

Use leftover parmesan to sprinkle on finished dishes.

 

My family likes this dish. It's a Hello Fresh meal and is supposed to feed two people, but it makes 5 cups. That's a lot of food for two people, or at least for DH and me.

I make something similar often...except no pesto. I make a sauce with broth and butter and thicken it up a bit with parm.

 

I like it bc I can keep all the ingredients on hand between my freezer and pantry.

[marbel]

The more you cook the more confident you will become, and you'll be able to tweak recipes to your tastes if you want to.  I'm glad you're having fun with it!

 

[marbel]

BTW I keep pesto in the freezer.  I buy the Kirkland brand from Costco, and freeze it in a big chunk in a container.  When I need some, it's easy enough to use a knife to break off what I need.  It may not be the perfect pesto, nor the perfect way to store it, but it works for us.  If I ever get a giant basil crop I'll make my own to freeze!

[Rachel]

It's a 3.5 oz jar. I took it out and weighed it and it's definitely by weight. I guess that means I'll use my food scale to measure out 2 oz. for the recipe. I'm so confused. I used the food scale and filled the shot glass to the 1 ounce mark and it was .8 ounces.

 

So I'm back to wondering how much pesto to put in the pasta. 2 oz by food scale weight, or 2 oz. using my 1 oz shot glass twice?

 

This is the only pesto pasta recipe I've ever tried and while it's good, I wouldn't want the pesto to be overpowering. That's why I'm worried about getting in just the same amount that Hello Fresh had in their tube.

Ok, what I would have done is use half the jar and then taste. If it didn’t taste like enough pesto, I’d add a little more. But if I only use half the jar I’d have enough for next time.

 

You are doing great with your cooking and expanding your horizons! It took a long time for me to figure out that things don’t have to be exact for most things.

 

Oh, and I’m glad you got the chili flakes, it will taste better with them. 😊

[Night Elf]

It was delicious! Well, except I burned the broccoli and had to cut off brown bits. Fortunately it didn't affect the taste of the dish. Now I'm sitting on the sofa with a cup of coffee and have my black cherry merlot candle burning next to me. I'm ready to relax. :)

[skimomma]

The is no such thing as too much pesto!  That is one ingredient you can for sure just guess then taste.

 

I also really like a little brown on my broccoli.

 

Sounds like you had a yummy meal.  I did NOT use a recipe for dinner tonight and it was not great.  I tried to wing it with a creamy potato soup trying to use up some excess milk and some of the cubic yard of potatoes my CSA person dropped off.  Meh.  Not sure what I did wrong but I'm guessing some pesto and red chili flakes would make it much better.  Luckily, my family will eat just about anything.