Recipe: Creamy Spring Pasta with Minty Pea Pesto

Sharing a delicious pasta recipe but it’s really all about this creamy, minty, basily-y, garlicky sauce, which doubles as a dip, spread, you name it.
It’s the sauce that is the star in this whole story. The fact is I’ve served it as une trempette (a dip) with veggies, tossed it into a chicken salad, spread it on a wrap sandwich, and even dolloped a lil’ bit onto pan-fried pork chops. It’s so tasty, I’ve eaten it directly out of the food processor. Regulate your amount of garlic à ton goût (according to your taste). Monsieur B and I love garlic, so we used 3 cloves. Serves 4.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup pine nuts, toasted for 2 minutes in a dry skillet (toasting optional if you don’t have time, but worth it if you do)
- Handful each fresh basil and fresh mint
- 1-3 cloves garlic (according to taste), peeled
- 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling if you like
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 lemon
- 1 1/2 cups good ricotta cheese
- 3/4 cup green peas, fresh or frozen (defrosted)
- 3/4 lb pasta of your choice (we used fresh orecchiette but anything works-spaghetti, linguine, shells, penne, even orzo!)
PREPARATION
STEP ONE
In a small skillet or pan on medium heat, toast the pine nuts (optional) for approximately two minutes. You don’t need olive oil or any fat. Just keep an eye on them and let them get light golden brown, then set aside.
STEP TWO
In a food processor, add the basil, mint, garlic, ricotta, pine nuts, plus juice from half the lemon and 3/4 of the parmesan. Drizzle with olive oil and pulse until smooth. Then add in the peas and pulse again.
STEP THREE
Open the top of the food processor, breathe in and rejoice in the herbaceous perfume. Taste it and add any extra salt if you like.
At the same time, In a pasta pot, bring water to a boil and add your noodles of choice. Cook according to package directions. Strain, drizzle with olive oil and tip into a bit pot or bowl
STEP FOUR
Off the heat, add the creamy pea pesto to the pasta and stir slowly, incorporating. Taste it several times because, well, it’s Chef’s Treat!
STEP FIVE
Serve in low bowls with a wedge of lemon, a sprinkle of parmesan, and a few pine nuts for crunch. Leaves of mint or basil make a pretty garnish. A crisp but interesting white wine (think Côtes du Rhone blanc) makes the perfect pairing at lunch or dinner.
Allez, à table !
For more read the original Substack post this recipe appeared in: karenbussen.su...
#Recipe #ComfortFood # EasyRecipe

[@michelesauret7779]

Miam 😋