Trenette Al Pesto    

Pesto, you see the term all over the place, usually as a name for something that isn’t even close to being real Pesto, with who knows what in it. Well here is a recipe for the real thing, the way it was intended to be made. This recipe makes a lot more pesto than you will actually use on the pasta, but you can freeze what is left over for use at a later time.

Serves 2

2 cups tightly packed fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup plus 4 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup of pine nuts
pinch of salt
2 cloves of garlic chopped fine
1/2 pound of trenette
1/4 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

  1. Put 1/4 cup of olive oil, pine nuts, garlic and a nice pinch of salt in a food processor or blender, start mixing and add the basil a few leaves at a time processing to a creamy consistency.
  2. In a large saute pan add 4 tablespoons of olive oil and 4 tablespoons of pesto, turn heat on low and heat through.
  3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of salt and the trenette. Cook until al dente.
  4. Reserve 2 tablespoons of water from the pot then drain pasta and add to saute pan with pesto, and turn the heat up to high.
  5. Add the 2 tablespoons of the water the pasta was cooked in, and the parmigiano cheese and stir vigorously coating the pasta completely with the sauce.
  6. Transfer the pasts to individual serving plates and serve immediately.