Email to Wendy T      

Recipe Categories: WendyIA's HOME PAGEAmishRecipes APPETIZERS Asparagus AsparagusLasagna BabyShowerRecipes Bake_off_cookiesdesserts BarsandBarcookies BBQ BEVERAGES BeveragesWithAlcohol Biscotti Biscuits Bisquickrecipes BloggerRecipes BREAD BreadMachineRecipes BREAKFAST BreakfastBreads Brownies Brunch BurgerstoBragAbout Cakes CAKESandPIES CampingandCrabbing CANDY Candy CannedTunaSalmon Carlie_Projects CASSEROLES CelebrityRecipes Cheesecakes Chicken Chocolate ChristmasCandiesandtreats Cobblers COFFEECAKES CoffeeDrinks ComfortFoods COOKIES CookingTipsandInstructions CookOffWinners CopyCatRecipes CrackerBarrel CROCKPOT Cultural Cupcakes DeepFatFried DESSERTS DiabeticRecipe DietingFoods Entree FallRecipes FISHandSEAFOOD Fondues Frostings FRUIT FruitSpreads Fudges GermanFood GordylovesSpam Grilling Halloween Hawaiian HolidayDinners HomemadeHealth Household_Cleaners Icecream IceCreamToppings INANDOUTOFTHEKITCHEN INeedToTryThese JAMSandJELLIES JelloSalad Kahlua Kids LayeredDessert MainDishPies Makeyourownmixes MEATS MexicanFood Mixesforgiftgiving Muffins NonFoodRecipes Norwegian OneDishMeals OregonCoastMeals PamperedChefRecipes PASTA Pies Pizzas POPCORN PorkChops Potatoes PUDDING Quiches Recipeexchange Recipesforblog Rhurbarb RICE SALADandDRESSING SaladDressings Salads SANDWICHES SAUCES Seafood SideDishes SNACKS SOUPSandSTEWS Soupsbycrockpot Spreadsanddips SweetRolls Thanksgiving Topsecretrecipes TupperwareRecipes VEGETABLES VEGETARIAN WendysFavorites WhatAmandaandTaylorlove What_Carlie_Loves

Pasta Pesto and Pea Salad




Source of Recipe


My sister Camille who got it from a cookbook Barefoot Contessa


List of Ingredients




¾ lb fusilli pasta

¾ lb bow-tie pasta

¼ cup good olive oil

1 ½ cups homemade pesto - recipe to follow. (Alternatively, I use store bought fresh, refrigerated pesto, not pesto in a jar. Costco has a good one)

3 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 ¼ cups good mayonnaise

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 ½ cups frozen peas, defrosted

1/3 cup pignolis, toasted (pine nuts)

¾ teaspoon kosher salt

¾ teaspoon freshly ground pepper



Cook the fusilli and bow ties separately in a large pot of boiling salted water for 10-12 minutes, until each pasta is al dente. Drain and toss into a bowl with the olive oil. Cool to room temperature.



In the bowl of the food processor fitted with a steel blade, puree the pesto, spinach, and lemon juice. Add the mayonnaise and continue to puree.



Add the pesto mixture to the cooled pasta, then add the Parmesan cheese, peas, pignolis, salt and pepper. Mix well, season to taste and serve at room temperature.



Pesto

¼ cup walnuts

¼ cup pignolis

3 tablespoons diced garlic (9 cloves)

5 cups fresh basil leaves, packed

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 ½ cups good olive oil

1 cup freshly grated parmesan



Place the walnuts, pignolis, and garlic in the bowl of the food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process for 30 seconds. Add the basil leaves, salt and pepper. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil into the bowl through the feed tube and process until the pesto is finely pureed. Add the Parmesan and puree for a minutes. Serve, or store the pesto in the refrigerator or freezer with a think film of olive oil on top.



FYI:



Toasting pine nuts

To toast pignolis, place them in a dry sauté pan and cook over medium heat for about 4-5 minutes until evenly browned, tossing frequently.



Cleaning and storing fresh basil

To clean basil, remove the leaves, swirl them in a bowl of water, and then spin them very dry in a salad spinner. Store them in a closed plastic bag with a slightly damp paper towel. As long as the leaves are dry they will stay green for several days.





Recipe