Chilled Pasta with Basil-Mint Pesto, Peas and Arugula – August 2017
You will love this flavorful recipe for pasta salad, perfect for summer cookouts, workplace lunches, and weekend picnics. Taste the bright flavors of the Mediterranean in every bite of this light, wonderful green summer salad. Pair this with a crisp Sauvignon Blanc or your favorite Rosé.
– Chef Vahé
Serves 6 (1.5 cups per person)
Ingredients:
Pesto
1 cup fresh basil leaves, tightly packed
1 cup fresh mint leaves
1⁄2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3T unsalted toasted pistachios
2 garlic cloves, chopped fine before putting in the processor
salt
1/3 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated (Parmigiano-Reggiano)
2T pecorino Romano cheese, freshly grated
Pasta
1lb pasta of your choice, I used Cavatappi
( you can use gluten free pasta if you like)
1 cup thawed frozen peas
2 cups of fresh arugula
4T Extra parmesan cheese for tossing into pasta
Preparing the Pesto:
Briefly soak and wash the basil and mint in cold water,
and gently pat it thoroughly DRY with paper towels.
Put the basil, mint, olive oil, pistachios, chopped garlic,
and an ample pinch of salt in the processor bowl, and
process to a uniform, creamy consistency. Transfer to
a bowl, and mix in the two grated cheeses by hand. It
is worth the slight effort to do it by hand to obtain the
notably superior texture it produces. Set aside.
For the Pasta:
Cook the pasta in salted water according to package
instructions. Then drain it and rinse in cold water.
Allow pasta to dry slightly, then toss in a bowl with
½ cup of pesto. (Add more if you want the pasta to be
more coated.) Add 4T Parmesan and toss. Add 2 cups
of arugula leaves and 8 oz of thawed frozen peas. Cover
and refrigerate pasta until cold. Remove the pasta from
the refrigerator 20 minutes prior to serving. Serve
pasta with an additional drizzle of pesto and parmesan
cheese. Pass the bowl and enjoy!
by Chef Vahé August 2017
