Shelly's Recipe

PASTA WITH PESTO AND TOMATOES

Category: Noodles / Pasta

For the Pesto Sauce:
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup pignolis (pine nuts)
3 tbsp diced garlic (9 cloves)
5 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 cups good olive oil
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

For serving:
1 lb pasta, any type
2 medium tomatoes, chopped

Place the walnuts, pignolis, and garlic in the bowl of a 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 minute.

Meanwhile, boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water until cooked al dente. Combine the hot pasta with one cup of pesto sauce (cold or at room temperature) and the chopped tomato. Serve immediately.

Store any unused pesto sauce in the refrigerator or freezer with a thin film of olive oil on top.

NOTE: For variety, I like to add snap peas, tuna, chicken, cubed mozzarella cheese, shrimp or goat cheese.