Tag Archives: pesto

Recipe:: Easy Pesto Pasta for a Crowd

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This recipe for Ligurian pesto pasta with green beans and red potatoes is a fantastic dinner that’s perfectly suited for feeding a crowd. If you have leftovers, it also makes a great lunch the next day. Pesto is one of those easy sauces that people often forget about, but not this Italian girl! Basil grows freely in my garden, so you can be sure I’ll be whipping-up this easy pesto pasta this summer.
Easy Pesto Pasta for a Crowd
You will need: 
– Prepared pesto
– 4 tablespoons olive oil
– 4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese (for garnish)
– 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
– 2 cups green beans cut into 2″ pieces
– 6 small red potatoes cut into quarters, skin on
– 1 box of dry mini penne pasta (or pen shaped pasta)
To prepare:
Cook pasta until al dente, about 15 minutes.
Add the beans and potatoes after pasta has cooked and cook for 5 minutes until potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork.
Reserve 1/4 cup of the hot pasta water to lighten the pesto sauce consistency. Drain and pour into a large bowl.
Toss pasta, beans, and potatoes in 4 tablespoons olive oil. Add reserved water to the pesto in a separate bowl.
(Note: pesto should be fluid, but not runny). Add pesto to the pasta and toss until incorporated. Top with shredded Parmesan cheese.
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Ligurian Pesto Pasta with Green Beans and Red Potatoes

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After last week’s tips on how to harvest your basil to prepare pesto, I thought it was only fair that I share even more ways to use pesto. This recipe for Ligurian pesto pasta with green beans and red potatoes is a fantastic weeknight dinner. You can even save the leftovers and eat the rest for lunch, too.
Ligurian Pesto Pasta with Green Beans & Red Potatoes
You will need: 
– Prepared pesto
– 4 tablespoons olive oil
– 4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese (for garnish)
– 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
– 2 cups green beans cut into 2″ pieces
– 6 small red potatoes cut into quarters, skin on
– 1 box of dry mini penne pasta (or pen shaped pasta)
To prepare:
Cook pasta until al dente, about 15 minutes.
Add the beans and potatoes after pasta has cooked and cook for 5 minutes until potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork.
Reserve 1/4 cup of the hot pasta water to lighten the pesto sauce consistency. Drain and pour into a large bowl.
Toss pasta, beans, and potatoes in 4 tablespoons olive oil. Add reserved water to the pesto in a seperate bowl (Note: pesto should be fluid, but not runny). Add pesto to the pasta and toss until incorporated. Top with shredded Parmesan cheese.
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Easy Summer Pesto that will Last all Fall, too

August means that summer is slowly winding down. In fact, it’s only a matter of time before we’ll be well into fall. Can you believe it? If you have loads of basil in your garden like I do, I’m sure you’re looking at ways to use it before the end of the season. Here’s my trick:

As the summer comes to a close, I make sure to harvest all the basil in my garden. Then, I make this summer pesto recipe and freeze it. I like to freeze it in ice cube trays and use it throughout the winter. By doing this, you’re able to enjoy wonderful, homemade pesto throughout the year.

This pesto recipe is straight from the source, my sweet Ligurian friend Monica Damonte. Here’s her version of pesto ala Liguria. Hers has a twist with Ricotta Salata on top; it’s delish. Try it.

Enjoy xx

Pesto

Coin Pasta with Pesto
Serves 6

You will need:

– 4 cups basil
– 1 cup olive oil
– 1¼ cups grated Parmesan cheese
– ½ teaspoon salt
– 4 cups dried coin pasta, or trofie pasta
– 12 cups water for boiling the pasta, reserve ¼ cup pasta water
– 1 cup ricotta salata
– ¼ cup chopped tomato
– 6 mint leaves

To prepare:

Place basil, 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, oil and salt into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade. Pulse for 3 minutes until it forms a paste. Set aside. In a large pot cook pasta for 10 minutes until al dente and drain. In a large bowl combine pasta, pesto, and the reserved water (¼ cup). Add ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese.

Serve in individual bowls with a dollop of ricotta salata. Top each serving with a mint leaf and tomato for garnish. Serve immediately. Place the extra Parmesan on the table for guests.

Photo credit : Victoria Lacarrieu

Food Styling: Me

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End of Summer Pesto

As the summer comes to a close, I make sure to harvest all the basil in my garden. Here’s a secret to make summer last throughout the winter: make this summer pesto recipe and freeze it. I like to freeze it in ice cube trays.

This pesto recipe is straight from the source. My sweet Ligurian friend Monica Damonte is not only a great interior designer but a wonderful host and cook. Here’s her version of pesto ala Liguria. Hers has a twist with Ricotta Salata on top; it’s delish.

Enjoy xx

Pesto

Coin Pasta with Pesto

Serves 6

You will need:

– 4 cups basil
– 1 cup olive oil
– 1¼ cups grated Parmesan cheese
– ½ teaspoon salt
– 4 cups dried coin pasta, or trofie pasta
– 12 cups water for boiling the pasta, reserve ¼ cup pasta water
– 1 cup ricotta salata
– ¼ cup chopped tomato
– 6 mint leaves

To prepare:

Place basil, 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, oil and salt into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade. Pulse for 3 minutes until it forms a paste. Set aside. In a large pot cook pasta for 10 minutes until al dente and drain. In a large bowl combine pasta, pesto, and the reserved water (¼ cup). Add ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese.

Serve in individual bowls with a dollop of ricotta salata. Top each serving with a mint leaf and tomato for garnish. Serve immediately. Place the extra Parmesan on the table for guests.

Photo credit : Victoria Lacarrieu

Food Styling: Me

cooking dinner party Entertaining Food styling italian cooking Recipes Uncategorized : Tags: , , , , , ,
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