The trick to saucing pasta with pesto is to loosen the noodles with hot pasta water. It makes all the difference.
Recipe information
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Cook in abundant salted boiling water: 3/4 pound dry pasta (linguine, spaghettini, fedelini, trofie), or Fresh Pasta (page 89).
Step 2
Cook al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water.
Step 3
Return the pasta to the pot or place in a large warm bowl and toss with: 1 1/2 cups Pesto (page 230), Salt.
Step 4
Mix about 1/2 cup of the reserved hot pasta water into the noodles. Taste and add more salt or water if needed. Plate and garnish with: Freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Step 5
Serve immediately.
Variations
Step 6
Place a layer of sliced, salted, ripe tomatoes on the plate before plating the pasta.
Step 7
Trim 1/2 pound green beans. Cook separately in salted boiling water and add to the boiling pasta for the last minute, to reheat; toss the noodles and beans with the pesto sauce.
Step 8
Peel and cut 1/2 pound potatoes into small cubes. Cook separately. Heat the cooked potatoes in the pasta water in the last minute the pasta is cooking. Toss with the noodles and pesto.
