Monday, September 26, 2011

Penne with Spinach Pesto

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound whole wheat penne pasta
  • A handful of walnut pieces
  • 1 cup packed spinach or baby spinach leaves
  • 1/2 cup packed arugula leaves
  • 1/3 cup chopped basil
  • 2 cloves of  garlic, peeled and smashed
  • 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2/3 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
  • 1 tablespoon honey



Directions:

  1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil then add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and reserve 1 cup of the cooking water.
  2. In a small skillet, toast the walnuts over medium heat for 5 minutes. In a food processor, puree the nuts, spinach, arugula, basil and garlic then season with salt and pepper. With the machine on, pour in the olive oil and honey. Mix until a thick paste forms. Transfer the pesto to a large pasta bowl and stir in the parmigiano-reggiano and reserved pasta cooking water.
  3. Add the pasta to the pesto, toss to combine and serve.