Pasta, Pesto and Peas

Amarante

Sun, Mar 06 2022, 12:42 pm

This was an excellent pasta salad - honestly it could serve as a main course or be used for a dairy type of buffet meal or following Ina's suggestion you could add salmon to it for a more complete meal

Trader Joe has pignolia (pine nuts) at a good price

Pasta, Pesto and Peas

Excerpt From: Ina Garten - Barefoot Contessa Parties!

SERVES 12

This famous Barefoot Contessa recipe originally came from my wonderful friend Brent Newsom. In order to keep the pesto from turning brown, he adds spinach and lemon juice. To make a delicious and easy one-dish summer lunch, use your imagination and add grilled chicken or fresh salmon.

¾ pound fusilli pasta
¾ pound bow-tie pasta
¼ cup good olive oil
1½ cups homemade pesto
1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed dry
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1¼ cups good mayonnaise
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1½ cups frozen peas, defrosted
⅓ cup pignolis, toasted (optional)
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

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, purée the pesto, spinach, and lemon juice. Add the mayonnaise and continue to purée.

Add the pesto mixture to the cooled pasta, then add the Parmesan cheese, peas, pignolis, salt, and pepper. Mix well, season to taste, and serve at room temperature.

To toast pignolis, place them in a dry sauté pan and cook over medium heat for about 4 minutes, until evenly browned, tossing frequently.