Fresh Pesto Penne

Fresh Pesto Penne

This was a super simple and easy dinner... it took 15 min from concept to table.
These instructions are approximate. All quantities are quanto basta ... 'as much as you need' (thanks to Steph for the Italian inspiration).

1. heat the pasta water, add however much dried penne will fill you

2. put the following ingredients in a food processor and pulse to a chunky-pesto consistency:
- almonds (or any nut you have on hand)
- a lot of fresh herbs (we used cilantro and parsley)
- one clove of garlic
- a small chunk of Parmesan cheese
- a few glugs of olive oil
- a splash of white wine vinegar (white balsamic would also work)
- juice of 1/2 a lemon
- salt

3. when pasta is cooked, drain, saving a bit of pasta water

4. toss pesto with hot pasta

5. garnish pasta on plate with arugula and basil leaves, parm shavings, cracked pepper, and more lemon juice

6. we recommend piling this on your fave big plate (ours is a gorgeous green) and eating it family-style right off the plate... less dishes to wash is always a good thing.

cheers.
jenny.