Best Pesto For A Pound Of Pasta Recipes

SPAGHETTI PESTO

Steps:

• Start a pot of well salted water to a boil. Boil the pasta until it is just al dente (start tasting a few minutes before the package recommends: you want it to be tender but still a little firm on the inside; usually around 7 to 8 minutes). Just before draining, reserve 1 cup pasta water! Then drain the pasta.
• Place the pasta in a bowl (not the pasta pot). Stir together the pasta, pesto, and 1/2 cup pasta water, tossing with tongs until the pesto is well distributed and the pasta water forms a creamy sauce. Add more pasta water if desired. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and taste. If the flavor doesn't pop, add a few more pinches until it does (the salt content in purchased pesto brands varies, as well as the amount of salt you used in the pasta water). Serve immediately.
• Store any leftovers refrigerated: note that pesto can get gummy when reheated, so it's best to eat leftovers cold or room temp.

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 FOR A POUND OF PASTA

Steps:

• In small, microwave-safe bowl or cup, cook almonds on High 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until lightly browned in center. Cool slightly.
• In food processor with knife blade attached, pulse almonds, basil, garlic, Parmesan, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper until finely chopped.
• With processor running, gradually pour in olive oil and water until blended.

PASTA WITH CHOPPED PESTO AND PEAS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. In a small or medium skillet over medium, toast nuts, shaking the skillet occasionally until browned (try one to see), 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board to cool.
• As the nuts cool, into a large bowl, grate the Parmesan on the small holes of a box grater (or pulse chunks in a blender).
• Add the garlic clove and a pinch of salt to the pile of nuts and coarsely chop the nuts and garlic together. Add a handful of the herbs and another pinch of salt, and coarsely chop. (Opt for forceful, purposeful chops as opposed to soft, timid ones.) Toss and smash the mixture every few chops. Repeat with the remaining herbs, salting at each step, until a wet, coarse paste forms. Stir into the cheese, then stir in the olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente. In the last 3 minutes of cooking, add the peas to the pasta. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain. Add the pasta and peas to the pesto and stir to combine. Add pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce. Season to taste with salt, pepper, more oil and more Parmesan.

PASTA WITH PESTO

Steps:

• Put pesto in a large bowl. Cook linguine or spaghetti until al dente. Whisk about 1/3 cup pasta cooking water into pesto. Add drained pasta to thinned pesto with salt and pepper to taste and toss well. Serve with additional Parmigiano-Reggiano.

PASTA WITH 10-MINUTE PESTO

Steps:

• Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente; drain, reserving 2 Tbsp. pasta cooking liquid.
• Meanwhile, toast 2 Tbsp. pine nuts in a small skillet over medium-low heat, shaking skillet back and forth, until lightly toasted, 2-3 minutes; set aside.
• Blanch 5 cups basil in a small pot of boiling water 30 seconds. Using a slotted spoon or spider, transfer to a large bowl filled with ice water.
• Purée garlic, oil, 1/2 tsp. salt, and remaining 1/3 cup pine nuts in a blender until nuts are very finely chopped and mixture is creamy. Using your hands, lift basil from ice water, shaking off excess but not all water from leaves (a bit of water will aid emulsification). Add to blender and purée just to combine. Add 1 cup Parmesan; purée just to combine.
• Transfer pesto to a medium bowl, then stir in reserved pasta cooking liquid. Transfer pasta to a large serving bowl or platter and toss with pesto. Top with Parmesan and reserved toasted pine nuts and garnish with basil.