Pesto Pasta
Servings: 4 people
- 1 cup of (240 grams of) basil pesto
- 12 ounces of (340 grams of) pasta of choice we love it with fusilli, linguine, and trofie
- 3 quarts of (3 liters of) water to boil the pasta
- 1½ tablespoons of (20 grams of) salt to season the pasta water
- 1 cup of (240 grams of) pasta cooking water add 1/2 cup first and add more only if necessary
Optional Ingredients
- 2 medium potatoes cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 cup of (130 grams of) green beans cut in half
Try a different pesto
- 1 cup (240) kale pesto
- 1 cup parsley pesto
- 1 cup artichoke pesto
- 1 cup arugula pesto
- 1 cup spinach pesto
- Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot, add 1½ tablespoons of salt, then 12 ounces of pasta of choice, and cook it per package instructions.Make sure the pasta is "al dente" with a slight bite.When the pasta is almost ready, reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking waterAdd ½ cup of pasta water to a bowl, let it cool down for a minute, then add 1 cup of basil pesto and stir until it turns into a creamy pesto sauce.
- Drain the pasta and toss it in the bowl with the pesto. Add more reserved pasta water if necessary to reach your desired creaminess. The pasta should be saucy and creamy and not dry.
- Serve immediately; optionally you can garnish with extra virgin olive oil, fresh basil leaves, and grated parmesan or non-dairy parmesan.
- Optionally, add 2 medium potatoes and 1 cup of green beans to the pesto pasta (cut into bite-size pieces and boiled).You can boil the potatoes and the beans in the same water you cook the pasta. Remember that bite-sized potato take about 10 to 15 minutes to cook, and the green beans only need about 8 minutes.
Nutrition information is an estimate for 1 portion of pesto pasta out of 4, without potatoes and green beans.
HOW MUCH PASTA PER PERSON?
3.5 ounces (100 grams) per person if the main meal;
2.8/3 ounces (80/90 grams) per person if part of a 2 - 3 course meal;
2/2.5 ounces (60/70 grams) per person if part of a 3+ course meal. HOW MUCH PESTO PER PERSON? You can add 2 to 4 tablespoons of pesto per portion of pasta (2.1 to 3.5 ounces or 60 to 100 grams), depending on your taste and diet. PESTO AND HEAT Basil pesto doesn't do well with heat; it will turn dark and lose flavor if you cook it. So it's best to warm it up with a bit of pasta cooking water in a bowl rather than heat it in a pan. MAKE AHEAD AND STORAGE Make ahead: you can make the pesto ahead of time and store it in the fridge or freezer, in a jar covered with oil; however, mix it with the pasta shortly before eating as it turns dark quickly once it's mixed with the pasta. Refrigerator: store leftovers in the fridge for a day. You can reheat it in the microwave, however it'll turn dark if you do so. You can also enjoy the leftover cold or at room temperature. Freezer: pesto pasta is not suitable for freezing.
2.8/3 ounces (80/90 grams) per person if part of a 2 - 3 course meal;
2/2.5 ounces (60/70 grams) per person if part of a 3+ course meal. HOW MUCH PESTO PER PERSON? You can add 2 to 4 tablespoons of pesto per portion of pasta (2.1 to 3.5 ounces or 60 to 100 grams), depending on your taste and diet. PESTO AND HEAT Basil pesto doesn't do well with heat; it will turn dark and lose flavor if you cook it. So it's best to warm it up with a bit of pasta cooking water in a bowl rather than heat it in a pan. MAKE AHEAD AND STORAGE Make ahead: you can make the pesto ahead of time and store it in the fridge or freezer, in a jar covered with oil; however, mix it with the pasta shortly before eating as it turns dark quickly once it's mixed with the pasta. Refrigerator: store leftovers in the fridge for a day. You can reheat it in the microwave, however it'll turn dark if you do so. You can also enjoy the leftover cold or at room temperature. Freezer: pesto pasta is not suitable for freezing.
