pesto

Pesto Pasta

Pasta is the Italian word for…pasta!  Pasta is a basic staple of Italian cuisine. It refers to noodles of all types, from penne to macaroni, lasagna noodles, bow-pestoties, and more! In this recipe, we will use whatever type of pasta you’d like. Use gluten-free pasta to make this dish gluten-free.

Serves: The whole family!

The shopping list:

  • 1 box of your favorite pasta
  • a big bowl of basil pesto (see basil pesto recipe)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 handful of parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons of Pine nuts

The prep:

  • Boil Water with several pinches of kosher salt
  • Add pasta after the water is boiling
  • Throw pasta against your refrigerator to see if it sticks — if it does, it is ready! (This will only work with spaghetti or angel hair.. and if you clean up after yourself).
  • Strain pasta into a colander

 

The fun part:

  • Place pasta back into your pot after it drains
  • Add a generous amount of pesto. Stir with a wooden spoon.
  • Scoop pasta into a serving dish.
  • Garnish with lots of parmesan cheese, a sprinkle of toasted pine nuts and a drizzle of olive oil
  • Enjoy!

 

Pesto Pasta

Pasta is the Italian word for…pasta!  Pasta is a basic staple of Italian cuisine. It refers to noodles of all types, from penne to macaroni, lasagna noodles, bow-pestoties, and more! In this recipe, we will use whatever type of pasta you’d like. Use gluten-free pasta to make this dish gluten-free.

Serves: The whole family!

The shopping list:

  • 1 box of your favorite pasta
  • a big bowl of basil pesto (see basil pesto recipe)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 handful of parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons of Pine nuts

The prep:

  • Boil Water with several pinches of kosher salt
  • Add pasta after the water is boiling
  • Throw pasta against your refrigerator to see if it sticks — if it does, it is ready! (This will only work with spaghetti or angel hair.. and if you clean up after yourself).
  • Strain pasta into a colander

 

The fun part:

  • Place pasta back into your pot after it drains
  • Add a generous amount of pesto. Stir with a wooden spoon.
  • Scoop pasta into a serving dish.
  • Garnish with lots of parmesan cheese, a sprinkle of toasted pine nuts and a drizzle of olive oil
  • Enjoy!

 

Basil Pesto Spread

Basil Pesto Spread

Basil
Studio shot of fresh basil

Pesto is an Italian dish that can be used as a sandwich or cracker spread, pasta sauce, and more. It is SO DELICIOUS. I put it on everything and then have nice garlic-breath.

Pesto comes from the Italian word pestare (peh-STAR-ay), which means to  ‘pound, crush.’ It got its name because, before people had food processors, if they wanted to squish up herbs and spices very small, they would use a mortar and pestle (some people still do!), which looks like the picture on the left.

If you’ve ever been to a Mexican restaurant, you may have seen a mortal and pestle that looks like the one in the picture filled with guacamole. Mortar and pestles are great for smooshing all kinds of things! You can pestare the ingredients for your basil pesto in a mortar and pestle, or you can take a shortcut and use a food processor.

Basil Pesto

Yield: 2 cups

The Shopping List:

  • 2 cups basil leaves, tightly packed
  • 2 teaspoons of garlic, minced (chopped as small as physically possible)
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 4 tablespoons lightly toasted pine nuts
  • 1 cup of extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

 

The prep:

  • Add all ingredients into blender or food processor with a quarter of your total olive oil
  • Turn blender on (don’t forget the lid… Or to plug it in)
  • Slowly drizzle the remaining olive oil into the blender
  • Blend until all is combined.
  • Taste. Make any adjustments needed.

The fun part:

  • Pour pesto into an airtight container
  • Store In the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
  • Label, ‘don’t eat’ because it is that good, use this pesto on everything!

Basil Pesto Spread

mortar-pestle
mortar and pestle

Pesto is an Italian dish that can be used as a sandwich or cracker spread, pasta sauce, and more. It is SO DELICIOUS. I put it on everything and then have nice garlic-breath.

Pesto comes from the Italian word pestare (peh-STAR-ay), which means to  ‘pound, crush.’ It got its name because, before people had food processors, if they wanted to squish up herbs and spices very small, they would use a mortar and pestle (some people still do!), which looks like the picture on the left.

If you’ve ever been to a Mexican restaurant, you may have seen a mortal and pestle that looks like the one in the picture filled with guacamole. Mortar and pestles are great for smooshing all kinds of things! You can pestare the ingredients for your basil pesto in a mortar and pestle, or you can take a shortcut and use a food processor.

Basil Pesto

Yield: 2 cups

pesto

The Shopping List:

  • 2 cups basil leaves, tightly packed
  • 2 teaspoons of garlic, minced (chopped as small as physically possible)
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 4 tablespoons lightly toasted pine nuts
  • 1 cup of extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

 

The prep:

  • Add all ingredients into blender or food processor with a quarter of your total olive oil
  • Turn blender on (don’t forget the lid… Or to plug it in)
  • Slowly drizzle the remaining olive oil into the blender
  • Blend until all is combined.
  • Taste. Make any adjustments needed.

The fun part:

  • Pour pesto into an airtight container
  • Store In the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
  • Label, ‘don’t eat’ because it is that good, use this pesto on everything!