A delicious and quick pasta with homemade green pesto. Ideal for those lazy evenings, and the pesto takes less time than the pasta.
Why make your own pesto
Jarred pesto is handy, but it can’t compete with a fresh batch. Homemade pesto is bright green, tastes of basil instead of oil and is ready in the time it takes to boil the water. All you need is a food processor and five ingredients.
Toast the pine nuts
Two or three minutes in a dry skillet bring out the nutty flavor of the pine nuts. Stay close to the stove, though: they go from golden to burnt in seconds. Pine nuts are pricey, and walnuts or cashews make a great pesto too.
Pasta water is your friend
Save a little of the cooking water before you drain the pasta. A splash loosens the pesto and helps it coat every strand instead of clumping together.
- Use the youngest, greenest basil you can find. Remove any thick stems.
- Add the cheese at the end and pulse briefly, so it doesn’t turn pasty.
- For a nut-free pesto, use toasted sunflower seeds.
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Pasta Pesto
Equipment
- Food processor
- Small skillet
- Large pot
Ingredients
- 6 oz tagliatelle
Fresh Pesto
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- 1 clove garlic
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 ¾ oz basil leaves about 2 packed cups
- ¼ cup olive oil extra virgin
- 1 oz Parmesan cheese freshly grated
Instructions
Fresh Pesto (you can make this in advance)
- Toast 1/4 cup pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Keep an eye on them: they burn quickly.
- Put 1 clove garlic, the toasted pine nuts and 1/4 tsp salt in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
- Add 1 3/4 oz basil leaves, keeping a few leaves for serving, and pulse into a coarse paste.
- With the motor running, pour in 1/4 cup olive oil. Add 1 oz Parmesan cheese and pulse just until combined.
Finish the dish
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook 6 oz tagliatelle until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Save a few tablespoons of the cooking water.
- Drain the pasta and put it back in the pot. Stir in the pesto, adding a splash of the cooking water until it coats every strand.
- Serve right away, with the reserved basil leaves on top.