Pesto Pasta for #SundaySupper

I am very excited to be participating in a new group this week – the #SundaySupper movement! After seeing that some of my favorite bloggers were involved, I was of course intrigued. “Our Mission,” according to founder Isabel “Foodie”, “is to Bring back Sunday Supper Around the Family Table in every home. The Family Table can be anywhere as long as the main ingredient is Love.” Cheers to that!

Pesto Pasta

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This week is a wonderful time to begin my involvement - Cristina Ferrare from www.oprah.com/own will be joining #SundaySuper. Five of the participating bloggers were selected to receive a signed copy of her cookbook, A Big Bowl of Love and all recipes for this week have been selected from her cookbook or her website. Since I don’t have her cookbook (but I can’t wait to be back in the States to check it out!) I immediately headed to her website, which is filled with great, easy recipes.

Pesto Pasta

At first glance her pesto recipe seems like a standard pesto: basil, olive oil, pine nuts, and parmesan. But as I took a closer look, I realized that it was actually quite a new take on this traditional pasta sauce. In addition to basil, there’s also parsley. And whereas most pesto recipes blend everything together, Cristina just whizzes together the basil, parsley, garlic, and olive oil, then tosses that with cooked pasta, parmesan, and whole toasted pine nuts. I loved it! I love the added texture that the whole pine nuts add, and the effect is almost like a deconstructed pesto.

5.0 from 8 reviews
Pesto Pasta
 
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This isn't your usual pesto recipe, and the whole toasted pine nuts provide a wonderful added flavor and texture to this traditional dish. You can puree the herbs and olive oil a few days ahead of time.
Author:
Recipe Type: Entree
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 bunch fresh basil
  • 1 bunch Italian parsley
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled
  • ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • ½ cup pine nuts
  • 1 pound pasta
  • ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
Directions
  1. Add the basil, parsley, and garlic to the bowl of a food processor. (You can make the pesto ahead and store in an airtight plastic container or glass jar for 3 to 4 days in the fridge.)
  2. Pulse until roughly chopped.
  3. Slowly add the olive oil until blended.
  4. Put the pine nuts in a small, dry frying pan and toast over medium heat until they start to release their oil, around 5 minutes. Shake the pan back and forth to keep from burning. Set aside.
  5. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente.
  6. Drain, reserving ½ cup of the pasta water.
  7. Return the pasta to the pot.
  8. Add the pesto and mix well. Add ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water.
  9. Mix in the grated Parmesan and toasted pine nuts.
  10. Serve immediately or at room temperature.
Notes
Kosher dairy, Vegetarian
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Pesto Pasta

Here’s what’s on the menu for #SundaySupper this week:

Our recipes will be perfectly paired with wine chosen by Wine Every Day.
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48 thoughts on “Pesto Pasta for #SundaySupper”

  1. Baker Street

    I love the spirit of the #SundaySupper team! Great to have you cook with us this week!

    Your pasta looks delicious. Anything with pesto usually has my name written all over it and this is no exception! Your pictures are just stunning, Katherine! 🙂

  4. Liz

    I’m so delighted you’ve joined us, Katherine! I love, love pesto, and Cristina’s recipe sounds fantastic!!!

  17. Tina@flourtrader

    You did choose a great pasta to use for the pesto, it really clings to all those crevices! No doubt this would be perfect for a picnic or afternoon brunch. Also, glad you are enjoying the Sunday supper-thanks for posting this tasty one!

  18. Sharon

    I would definitely make this dish it looks delicious, but use Al Dente® Pasta, because it’s fresh, light, and tastes like homemade. It cooks in just 3 min. I would use either their whole wheat pasta, or Carba-Nada pasta that is low carb.

  19. kitchenriffs

    Nice new group! And I like the pesto variation – makes so much sense to toss the pesto base with the pasta, Parmesan, and pine nuts. And you’ve chosen a great pasta to showcase this dish – pesto pasta often photographs with kind of a dull color, but your colorful pasta solves that. Good post – thanks.

  20. Thyme (Sarah)

    We LOVE having supper together late afternoon on Sundays. Everyone in my family looks forward to what I am going to cook and we usually try out something new. This is one of my favorite times with my family. I’ll have fun watching your group!

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  28. Sissi

    Parsley sounds like an excellent idea! I love all kinds of pesto and accidentally I have just made one but with a completely different plant…

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  37. Amrita

    I love pesto and I like the fact that Cristina didn’t blitz the pine nuts along with the rest of the ingredients…adds more texture and crunch to the dish 🙂 I’m going to try it this way next time.

  40. CJ at Food Stories

    What a great new take on pesto, Katherine … By the way, you have been nominated for my NEW Food Stories Award for Excellence in Storytelling. Check out my site for the details (foodstoriesblog dot com).

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