Cooktop Cove: Never buy a jar of pesto again, thanks to this 30-minute pesto pasta salad
By Audrey Michels
Pesto is a classic for a reason. In fact, you could pretty much put pesto on anything and make it better. Pesto chicken? Yum. Pesto fish? Yes, please. Pesto vegetable dip? Absolutely.
Of course, the ultimate classic is a pesto pasta, but if you’re just combining pasta with a jar of sauce you pulled off a store shelf that won't go bad for 10 years and serving it up like that, you’re doing this a dish-service (pun intended). Making pesto from scratch is much easier than you think, and a small food processor is all you need to give your basic pasta dinner new life.
The key to this dish is to taste as you go. Parmesan is salty, and you're probably cooking your pasta in salted water, so just take a bite every time you add something to avoid over-seasoning. If you do go a bit overboard, don’t fret, add a little more lemon, olive oil, and just a drop or two of honey to pull back on the saltiness.
Pesto pasta salad with farfalle
6
10 minutes
20 minutes
30 minutes
1 pound farfalle pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small shallot, peeled and roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup fresh basil, plus more for garnish
3 tablespoon pine nuts
¼ cup olive oil (plus additional for brushing)
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Salt and pepper, to taste
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Prepare the farfalle according to the instructions on the box, cooking until al dente.
In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet, heat the olive oil until shimmering and add the shallot and garlic. Cook until fragrant.
Add the shallot and garlic to a food processor with the basil, pine nuts, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese, and pulse until a pesto paste forms.
Taste and add salt and pepper if you think it needs it.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the farfalle and the pesto. Mix well.
Add the tomatoes and the fresh lemon juice, taste one more time for seasoning, and serve warm, or chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours to serve cold.