Pesto Pasta
A quick and flavorful pasta dish with homemade basil pesto sauce.
Ingredients:
- pasta (spaghetti or linguine) - 340 grams (12 ounces)
- fresh basil leaves - 50 grams (2 cups)
- garlic cloves - 3 cloves (3 cloves)
- pine nuts - 30 grams (0.25 cup)
- grated Parmesan cheese - 50 grams (0.5 cup)
- extra-virgin olive oil - 120 milliliters (0.5 cup)
- salt - 2.5 grams (0.5 teaspoon)
- black pepper - 1 gram (0.25 teaspoon)
Instructions:
- Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- In a food processor, combine basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Pulse until finely chopped.
- With the food processor running, slowly pour in the olive oil and process until smooth.
- Toss the cooked pasta with the pesto sauce, adding reserved pasta water as needed to achieve desired consistency.
- Serve hot, garnished with additional Parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes:
You can also add cooked chicken or shrimp for a heartier meal.
Nutrition:
- Calories: 500
- Fat: 28g
- Carbs: 52g
- Protein: 14g