My Basic Basil Pesto Pasta

I don’t know what’s up with noodles/pasta but it has always been a tradition with us Filipinos to have atleast one on every occasion. I want to share my basic basil pasta I made for christmas.

Ingredients:

Pasta (penne, fettuccine or spaghetti) - cooked per package instructions (al dente)
Pesto sauce, ready made or you can also make it from scratch (Basil leaves, Extra virgin olive oil, Pine nuts, Parmesan, Garlic, Salt and Pepper)
2 cloves or garlic, thinly sliced
Potatoes (tiny), cut into half
Green beans, cut into half
Grated parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste

Optional:

Tuna chunks
Chicken strips

Instructions:

1. Cook the pasta per package instructions (8-10 minutes), drain, rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process or else the pasta will be soggy . Keep aside.

2. Boil on medium/high the potatoes for 10 minutes and blanch the green beans to be partially cooked, you don’t want to over cook the vegetables. Set aside.

3. If you are going to use the ready made you can use its oil to quickly sauté the vegetables with your thinly sliced garlic. During this time you can also add your optional ingredients to be sautéed.

4. Since I like my pesto to be creamy, I already added the grated parmesan cheese. Slightly melt the cheese then pour the rest of the pesto sauce.

5. Add the pasta and gently toss it until every pasta is covered with the sauce. Add salt and pepper according to taste.

6. Place it in a beautiful plate and pair it with a white wine (Sauvignon Blanc), to balance the pungency of garlic and herb acidity.

Happy Eating!!

&

Merry Christmas!!