3/4 pound fusilli pasta
3/4 pound bow tie pasta
1/4 cup good olive oil
1 1/2 cups pesto (packaged or see recipe below)
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/4 cups good mayonnaise
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, defrosted
1/3 cup pignoli (pine nuts)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Cook the fusilli and bow ties separately in a large pot of boiling
salted water for 10 to 12 minutes until each pasta is al dente. Drain
and toss into a bowl with the olive oil. Cool to room temperature.
In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, puree the
pesto, spinach, and lemon juice. Add the mayonnaise and puree. Add the
pesto mixture to the cooled pasta and then add the Parmesan, peas,
pignoli, salt, and pepper. Mix well, season to taste, and serve at room
temperature.
Pesto:
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup pignoli (pine nuts)
3 tablespoons chopped garlic (9 cloves)
5 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups good olive oil
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Place the walnuts, pignoli, and garlic in the bowl of a food
processor fitted with a steel blade. Process for 15 seconds. Add the
basil leaves, salt, and pepper. With the processor running, slowly pour
the olive oil into the bowl through the feed tube and process until the
pesto is thoroughly pureed. Add the Parmesan and puree for a minute. Use
right away or store the pesto in the refrigerator or freezer with a
thin film of olive oil on top.
Notes: Air is the enemy of pesto. For freezing, pack it in
containers with a film of oil or plastic wrap directly on top with the
air pressed out.
To clean basil, remove the leaves, swirl them in a bowl of water,
and then spin them very dry in a salad spinner. Store them in a closed
plastic bag with a slightly damp paper towel. As long as the leaves are
dry they will stay green for several days.
Yield: 4 Cups of Pesto
Notes: I used my own homemade pesto!
foodnetwork.com
Ina Garten
