pat's Recipe

Spaghetti with Fresh Pesto

Category: PASTA

Ingredients
1 14- to 16-oz. pkg. dried multigrain, whole wheat or regular spaghetti
12 oz. green beans, trimmed
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup packed fresh spinach
3/4 cup packed fresh basil
1/2 cup toasted almonds
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. lemon-pepper seasoning
1/2 cup olive oil
3 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
Fresh lemon juice
Sliced green onions
Toasted baguette slices (optional)

Directions
1. Cut one-third of the green beans in 2-inch pieces; set aside. Cook spaghetti, with 1 tablespoon salt added to water; according to package directions; add cut beans the last 5 minutes of cooking time. Reserve 1-1/2 cups pasta cooking water (*Using Pasta water, see below ). Drain pasta; keep warm.

2. For pesto, in skillet cook onion and garlic in 1 tablespoon oil until softened. Add whole beans. Cook, covered, 5 to 7 minutes, or until tender, stirring occasionally.

3. In food processor add bean mixture, spinach, basil, almonds, cheese, and seasoning. Cover. Pulse to coarsely chop. With processor running, add 1/2 cup olive oil in thin stream until nearly smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Toss with spaghetti mixture, adding enough reserved pasta water to thin. Sprinkle with chopped eggs and green onions. Drizzle lemon juice. Serve with baguette slices.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.

*Use pasta cooking water to flavor and thin sauces. To reserve, just before draining pasta, ladle out the amount of pasta water needed into a glass measuring cup or bowl.