Amare pasta al pesto! Heavenly pesto is a very versatile sauce, rich in flavor and so divine. Depending on your mood, pesto is delicious mixed with penne, linguine, spaghetti or your choice of pasta. Pesto can garnish a caprese salad or simply marinade your choice of meat. Be daring and serve this zesty sauce for guests or for the kids. What I love most is the ease of adding all the ingredients to the cuisinart and within minutes the sauce is ready, no cooking necessary! Try adding one cup halved cherry tomatoes and steamed green beans for added color, texture and nutrition. Buon appetito!
Serves 4-6
Main Ingredients
Pasta:
1 lb. spaghetti, penne or linguine noodles, package
Pesto:
1 cup basil leaves, washed and leaves destemmed
⅓ cup pecorino romano or parmesan cheese, grated
⅓-½ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1 clove garlic
¼ -½ teaspoon salt, for taste
⅛ teaspoon pepper
Directions
1. Cook pasta as directed on package, until al dente. Do not overcook.
2. While pasta is cooking, place all the Pesto ingredients in the Cuisinart or blender. Cover and blend on high speed until mixture is uniform consistency. Taste and make adjustments accordingly. If too dry, add more olive oil.
3. Reserve ¼ cup of pasta water in a small bowl before you drain the water. Remove pot from stove and drain. Transfer pasta to a large bowl and lightly toss with olive oil to keep moist.
5. Add 3 tablespoons of reserved water to pesto, stirring until blended. Add pesto mixture to pasta and toss, adding olive oil only if necessary.
Notes:
My favorite addition to this pasta dish is about one cup halved cherry tomatoes and one cup of 1-inch cut steamed green beans for color, texture and vitamins. Distribute over the top of the pasta noodles and admire the gorgeous dish!
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