Springtime Pasta with Pesto and Peas

IG: @mangia.con.elena

The calendar says Mid-April but it sure doesn't feel like it outside. The last few weeks have been cold, snowy, rainy and windy. 

If it wasn't green outside, then I needed to make something that would perk me up and get me thinking "Spring."

This pesto pasta is the perfect dish to brighten your spirits. 

There are many variations of pesto depending on the herbs and greens that are used to the different nuts. 

I go into more detail in an earlier blog post where I shared a recipe of "arugula pesto pasta."

This pesto is a combination of basil, parsley, toasted walnuts and grated Pecorino Romano along with the traditional ingredients of garlic, lemon juice and olive oil.

The result is a flavourful, fresh and creamy pesto to add to your pasta.

 Never heat the pesto before adding it to pasta. The heat will cook the basil, destroying its aroma and the cheese will clump. We definitely don't want that. 

You can easily swap out the peas for another spring favourite such as asparagus, or add them both to the dish! This addition takes this pasta to a whole new level by adding sweetness.

The peas/asparagus get tossed into the boiling pasta for the last 5 minutes of cook time. 

The type of pasta shells you choose is very important. I prefer rigatoni or penne when I make pesto dishes because the sauce gets caught inside and it creates an amazing flavour explosion when you take a bite! Ridged penne, rigatoni or tortiglione would be good options. 

Don't forget to save some of that magical water before you drain the pasta. The salty, starchy water adds flavour, helps glue the pasta and sauce together and creates a creamy and thicker sauce. 

As with all of my recipes and in keeping with the traditional Mediterranean way of cooking, my measurements are just estimates and my spices are just recommendations. If you don't like an ingredient then leave it out or add one that you do like! 

Cook by eye  👁(ad occhio) and let your taste buds be your guide.  Remember to season as you go along and build the flavours slowly. Taste test frequently to make sure it is to your liking and adjust if needed! 

See below for ingredients and directions! 

Ingredients

• 3 cups of fresh basil, washed, dried and stems removed
• 1 cup of fresh parsley, washed, dried and tough stems removed
• 3 cloves of garlic, sliced
• juice of one lemon
• 1 cup of grated Pecorino Romano/Parmigiano Reggiano and extra for the table
• dash of salt
• 1 lb pasta 
• extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup of frozen or fresh sweet baby peas, chopped fresh asparagus (leave tips intact)

Directions

1. Start by adding the basil and parsley to the food processor.
2. Place walnuts, garlic, lemon juice, salt and cheese on top of the herbs.
3. Begin to pulse and slowly stream in olive oil until you reach the consistency you would like.
4. Remove lid and scrape down sides regularly.
5. Taste test and adjust any of the ingredients you feel is necessary. 
6. Add peas/asparagus to pasta about 5 minutes before draining.
7. Drain al dente pasta and peas/asparagus (reserve about 2 cups of the pasta water). Turn off heat.
8. Place pasta back in pot and add in pesto. 
9. Stir together and add pasta water a bit at a time and continue to stir until you get a nice creamy sauce. 
10. Serve with grated cheese for sprinkling on top!

A Mangia!

Elena 

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