Saturday, March 31, 2012

Pasta with Simple Pesto

The pesto here is a fresh alternative to the typically basil heavy and oily ones you often find (not that those aren't good.) This is as simple of a recipe as you'll find -- as long as you own a blender or food processors -- because all you do is blend all the ingredients and toss with the spaghetti. This recipe was featured in GQ and was adapted from chef Lidia Basianich.

Ingredients
  • Handful of almonds, lightly toasted
  • Bunch of fresh basil
  • 1 large clove garlic
  • Pinch of crushed red-pepper flakes
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 handfuls of cherry tomatoes
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 pound spaghetti
  • Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated.
Instructions
  1. Put the almonds, basil, garlic, and red pepper flakes in a food processor and blend while drizzling in about half a cup of olive oil.
  2. Add the tomatoes and blend until nearly incorporated. The sauce should look like bolognese -- thick and hearty, a reddish yellowish orange. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  3. Boil spaghetti. Just before it's done, take out about one cup of the cooking pasta water. Drain pasta.
  4. Place sauce in a large serving bowl and add some of the pasta water and stir until smooth.
  5. Add pasta and toss till coated. Toss with lots of P-R cheese.
Serves 4. Eat slowly.

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