Pesto is wonderful to make in the summer when fresh basil is bountiful, either in your garden or at the local farmer’s market. If you have an overabundance of basil, you can make a double or triple batch and then freeze it. It’s best to freeze the sauce before adding the cheese, then just add it when it’s thawed and you’re ready to use it.
Looking for a pasta recipe, but not this one? Consider these:
- Brown Butter Fettuccine with Sage
- Fettuccine with Peas and Asparagus
- Pasta Carbonara
- Pasta alla Puttanesca
- Pasta in White Clam Sauce (or Red Clam Sauce)
- Penne with Olives, Feta, and Greens
- Red and White Tortellini
- Rigatoni with Shrimp, Peas, and Basil
- Spaghetti al Aglio, Olio, and Pepperoncini
Pesto Pasta
Use this traditional pesto with many of your favorite pasta shapes. Specifically, pasta corta (short pasta) like penne, mostaccioli, or rigatoni or pasta lunga (long pasta) such as spaghetti or linguini. The directions are the same
Ingredients
Pesto Sauce
- ¾ cup basil leaves fresh
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 3 Tbsp pine nuts
- ½ tsp salt
- 5 Tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 4 Tbsp Pecorino cheese grated
- black pepper freshly ground
Pasta
- 1 lb pasta
Instructions
Pesto Sauce
- Place basil, garlic, pine nuts, salt, and olive oil in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Place mixture in a bowl.
- Stir in cheeses and add pepper to taste.
Pasta
- Bring 5 quarts of salted water to a boil. Use Kosher salt, if you have it and use a generous amount of it. You can taste the water and if it's just a little less salty than the ocean, that should be about right.
- Cook the pasta until al dente. Use the box instructions as a guideline. Drain, return to the hot pan reserving some cooking water.
- Add the pesto by spoonfuls and mix well. You should not have to turn the heat back on, but if it is too dry, add some cooking water. Use as much or as little pesto as desired, then serve immediately.
Notes
This recipe will make 8 servings if it is used as a first course. If you are only serving pasta with bread and a salad, it may only serve 4-6 people, depending on their appetite.
Creamy Pesto: As a modification, you can add a bit of milk or cream to the pan after you add the pesto. Turn the heat on to low and combine the pesto and milk/cream until you get a creamy pesto sauce.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!