Basil Pesto Pasta

Fresh basil and pasta can mean only one thing: basil pesto pasta!  Pesto is a classic Italian sauce. Traditionally pesto is made with fresh basil, olive oil, pine-nuts, garlic and fresh parmesan but in today’s world a lot of variations have been created.

The basil can be substituted for many green leaves such as Arugula and Spinach. Many recipes omit nuts due to nut allergies. But I love the addition of nuts as it adds texture to the dish. Even the kind of cheese used can be substituted. A hard-aged cheese is traditional but aged cheddar and aged swiss is can be used as a substitute for parmesan as these can be more affordable at times.

This pesto is super rich and tasty. A little really does go a long way enabling you to save more for another time. I sometimes use pesto on bread or even to roast vegetables.

I hope when you try this you too will become a pesto fan. Enjoy!

Basil Pesto Pasta

Delight your taste buds with basil pesto pasta, a rich and satisfying dish featuring fresh basil and simple ingredients.

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian, Tobago, Trinidad

Keyword: vegetarian

Author: Renee

Ingredients

• 1 pack Cuisine Spaghetti
• 3 bundles fresh Basil
• 1/3 C Cuisine White roasted peanuts
• 6 Garlic cloves
• ½ C Parmesan Cheese
• ½ C Olive Oil
• 1 Sweet pepper
• 1 Red Onion
• 1 Tbsp Cuisine Soya-Bean oil
• 3 Tomatoes
• Salt –To taste
• Black pepper- To taste

Instructions

• In a pot of rolling water add salt, pasta and allow to cook until al dente. Note: (Meaning firm to the bite not too soft.)
• In a food-processor add the peanuts, basil, garlic, parmesan cheese and olive oil. Pulse on a high, scrap down the sides and then pulse again until everything has been fully combined. Add salt and black pepper to taste. Note: (Making pesto without the cheese or nuts is perfectly fine. This would change the texture of the dish but just add more basil and taste as you go.)
• Cut the red onion and sweet pepper into slices. Cut the tomatoes into wedges.
• Place a pan on medium heat, add oil and sauté the vegetables. Note: (Sauté for 2 minutes do not overcook. The freshness of the vegetables gives the dish an extra taste.
• Add the pesto and coat the pasta. Note: (This pesto is thick and rich so a little goes a long way. Package the rest and place into the fridge or freeze until later use.
• Plate and enjoy with some fresh grated parmesan.

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