Pesto pasta

A deep, vibrant green coating every strand of pasta. The powerful scent of fresh basil meets the sharp bite of garlic and the richness of aged cheese.

• Prep time: 15 min
• Cook time: 10 min
• Difficulty: Easy
• Calories: 725
• Protein: 18 g
• Carbs: 76 g
• Fat: 38 g

Ingredients

• 400 g Dried pasta ( spaghetti or linguine type )
• 2 piece Basil ( fresh, leaves picked )
• 60 g Parmesan cheese ( finely grated )
• 40 g Pine nut ( toasted )
• 2 piece Garlic ( germ removed and minced )
• 100 ml Extra virgin olive oil ( extra virgin )
• 1 tbsp Lime juice ( for brightness )
• 1 pinch Fleur de sel ( for seasoning )

Instructions

1. Toasting pine nuts

   Toss the pine nuts into a dry pan over medium heat. Stir constantly until golden with a toasted nutty aroma. Remove immediately to stop the cooking process.

2. Preparing the green base

   Mix or crush the garlic with basil, pine nuts, and olive oil. The mixture should be grainy but emulsified. Add a squeeze of lemon juice to set the green color and provide a touch of acidity.

3. Cooking the pasta

   Plunge the pasta into a large pot of boiling salted water. Cook until al dente: they must offer a slight resistance when bitten. Save a bit of the cooking water before draining.

4. Binding and coating

   Mix the hot pasta with the pesto and grated parmesan. Add a small ladle of cooking water to loosen the sauce. Stir vigorously: the sauce should become creamy and perfectly coat the pasta.

Chef's tips

• Never heat pesto in a pan; high heat destroys the basil's aroma and turns it black.
• Pasta water is the secret: its starch helps create an emulsion that makes the sauce cling to the pasta.

Storage

Pesto keeps for 2 days in the fridge under a layer of oil, but the pasta must be eaten immediately once mixed.