Pesto Pasta Recipes

PASTA, PESTO, AND PEAS

Steps:

• 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.
• 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.

JUICY PESTO PASTA!

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to the boil with the salt.
• Add pasta and cook for the length of time per the packet.
• Just before draining, scoop out 1 cup of of the pasta cooking water.
• Drain pasta in a colander, leave it for a minute.
• Transfer pasta to a bowl (do not use pasta cooking pot, too hot).
• Add pesto and 1/4 cup of pasta water. Toss to coat pasta in pesto, adding more water if required to make pasta silky and saucy, rather than dry and sticky.
• Taste, add more salt and pepper if desired.
• Serve immediately, garnished with fresh parmesan.

PESTO PASTA

Steps:

• Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water until done. Drain.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan over medium low heat. Add pesto, onion, and salt and pepper. Cook about five minutes, or until onions are soft.
• In a large bowl, mix pesto mixture into pasta. Stir in grated cheese. Serve.

PASTA PESTO

Steps:

• Ingredients out • Kettle boiled • Large frying pan, high heat • Large lidded casserole pan, high heat • Food processor (bowl blade)
• START COOKING On a large sheet of greaseproof paper, toss the chicken with sea salt, black pepper, fennel seeds and the rosemary leaves. Fold over the paper, then bash and flatten the chicken to 1.5cm thick with a rolling pin.
• Put the chicken into the frying pan with the rapeseed oil, the bashed unpeeled garlic cloves and halved chillies, turning after about 3 or 4 minutes, until golden and cooked through.
• Line the beans up and cut off the stalks, put into the casserole pan, cover with boiling salted water and cook for 6 minutes with the lid on.
• Pick a few basil leaves for garnish, then rip off the stalks and put the rest of the bunch into the processor with the almonds, Parmesan, extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice.
• Squash in the unpeeled garlic through a garlic crusher. Blitz until smooth, adding a ladle or two of cooking water from the beans to loosen, then season to taste.
• Slice the lasagne sheets up into random handkerchief shapes and add to the beans to cook for a couple of minutes. Halve or quarter the tomatoes, add to the chicken and give the pan a shake.
• Stir the spinach into the pasta pan, then drain, reserving a cupful of the starchy cooking water. Return the pasta, beans and spinach to the pan, pour in the pesto from the processor and stir together, loosening with splashes of cooking water until silky.
• Slice the chicken breasts in half and serve with the tomatoes and chilli spooned over the top. Finely grate a little extra Parmesan over the pasta, then sprinkle everything with basil leaves.

PESTO PASTA WITH CHICKEN AND TOMATOES

Steps:

• In blender or food processor, place Pesto ingredients.
• Cover and process on medium speed about 3 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides with rubber spatula, until smooth. Set aside.
• In 4-quart saucepan, heat penne and broth just to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until al dente and liquid is almost absorbed. Remove from heat. Add pesto; stir in chicken and tomatoes; cook over medium 2 to 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated.
• Garnish with basil and 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese.

EASY PESTO PASTA

Steps:

• Boil spaghetti in a large pan according to pack instructions. Drain well, then return to the pan with the pesto and half the Parmesan. Toss well, then tip into a serving bowl and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan.

THE BEST BASIL PESTO PASTA

Steps:

• In a food processor or blender, combine the basil leaves, Parmesan cheese, garlic, toasted pine nuts, kosher salt and pepper. Pulse the ingredients together until well blended.
• While the food processor or blender is running, drizzle in the olive oil and continue blending, scraping down the sides as needed, until the pesto is puréed. Taste and season it with salt and pepper then serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to serve.
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CHICKEN PESTO PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt to taste. Cook the pasta according to package directions.
• Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat.
• Place the chicken in the pan and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Cook for 3-4 minutes per side or until golden brown and cooked through. Add the garlic and Italian seasoning and cook for 1 minute.
• Drain the pasta and pour it into the pan with the chicken. Add the pesto and toss to coat evenly.
• Add the cherry tomatoes and gently fold them into the pasta.
• Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and parsley. then serve.

PESTO PASTA RECIPE WITH TOMATOES AND MOZZARELLA

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 450 degrees F and arrange a rack in the middle.
• In a larger bowl, toss the tomatoes with kosher salt, black pepper, garlic and extra virgin olive oil. Transfer to a sheet-pan and bake in heated oven 25 to 35 minutes or just until the tomatoes collapse and develop some char (if you don't want them too soft, take the tomatoes out earlier). When ready, remove from the oven. (See notes)
• While the tomatoes are roasting, cook the spaghetti in boiling water according to the package to al dente (about 10 minutes). Reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta.
• Transfer the cooked spaghetti to a large bowl (same bowl used earlier for the tomatoes). Add the pesto and toss to coat. If you need to, add a little bit of the pasta cooking water to help mix it evenly. Taste, and if needed, add a bit of kosher salt and black pepper to season.
• Add the roasted tomatoes and mozzarella to the bowl of pasta. Toss to combine. Serve warm. Garnish with fresh basil, if you like.