Written by Think garden fresh when these flavors hit your taste buds This is a wonderful main dish or a great summer buffet addition. Travels well, best at room temp – healthy use of fresh produce for your table.
Pea Pesto Perfection
16 oz pasta (bowties or farfalle work well)
1 C fresh shelled peas
1/2 C flat leaf parsley
2/3 C basil
1/2 C pecans - partially crushed
1/2 C parmesan cheese – grated
1.5 tsp sea salt
2/3 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) approximately
1/2 C asparagus, trimmed/steamed
3 oz pancetta, cut into strips and just crisped up (substitute bacon or prosciutto)
Boil your pasta – while its boiling trim and steam or microwave the asparagus tender crisp – set asparagus aside. Slice the pancetta or bacon into strips and crisp up in a fry pan – drain meat on paper towels and set aside. Drain your pasta and keep warm until pesto is ready. For the pesto, place in a food processor the peas, parsley, basil, pecans and salt – pulse to mix roughly, then start drizzling in the Extra Virgin Olive Oil until it develops into a nice paste (some folks prefer their pesto chunky, some prefer a very smooth, creamy texture – its easy to figure out, just keep blending until it gets to where you like it!) Get your serving bowl ready – meanwhile mix the pesto and pasta, fold in the pancetta and asparagus last. Pass more shaved Parmesan cheese for topping. Offer fresh ground pepper. This dish is excellent for supper buffet setting – best at room temperature
This recipe was totally inspired by a recipe in August 2010 Rachel Ray Magazine
Arugula Pesto Pasta with Ricotta and Bacon
Picture on link by Romulo Yanes
Recipe by Melissa Clark
Permission received from RR Mag – All credits given and link to recipe author, photographer and to RR August Issue recipe as requested. Thank you for the permission to reference and to print my version of the recipe!
