Pesto Fusilli Lunghi

Pesto Fusilli Lunghi





Prep Time: 10 Min
Cook Time: 15 - 20 Min

Yields: 4 Servings

WHAT YOU NEED

• 400g Dry Fusilli Lunghi Pasta**
• 3 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
• 1 Tbsp. EVOO
• 2 Tsp. Pepperoncini In Oil
• 2 cloves Garlic, crushed & minced
• 1 Shallot, diced
• Pasta Water
• Himalayan Salt
• Arugula Microgreens - Garnish

PESTO

• 1/4 C Pine Nuts
• 1 clove Garlic, crushed
• 1 Lemon, juice only
• 1/4 C EVOO
• 1 Tbsp. Cold Water
• 1/3 C Grana Padano, finely shredded
• 14g Fresh Basil Leaves
• 1/4 C Fresh Parsley
• 1/4 Tsp. Himalayan Salt
• Pinch Red Pepper Flakes & Cracked Pepper

NOTES:
** Fusilli Lunghi are long, coiled noodles that are hollow like bucatini. If you cannot find them, sub in your favourite long pasta shape. In this case, bucatini would be a great substitution!

DIRECTIONS

• Bring a large, deep pot of cold, heavily salted water to a boil on medium high heat. Leave covered until needed,
• In a small skillet, add your pine nuts and turn the heat a tick or so below medium. Let the pine nuts heat up in the skillet and toast until they are golden brown. Do not let them burn, keep an eye on them! Remove from heat and cool slightly. For the pesto, add all of the ingredients to a small blender and puree until creamy and smooth, adding additional water / EVOO only if needed to emulsify. Taste and adjust salt / lemon if desired.​

• In a large skillet, begin heating the EVOO, butter, pepperoncini, and garlic on just below medium heat. Once heated, stir and let everything sizzle without burning, for about 30 seconds or so. Add the shallots, stir, and season with salt. Continue to cook 2 - 3 minutes, reducing the heat if needed to keep from scorching the shallots / garlic. At this point, drop your pasta in to the boiling water and add a ladle of the pasta water to the skillet along with a good pinch of salt, increasing the heat back to about medium if you reduced it. Let the "sauce" simmer while the pasta cooks to just about al dente. You may need to add another scoop of pasta water while the pasta finishes cooking.
• Once your pasta is just about al dente, strain it directly in to the skillet, taking along a little pasta water with you. Stir / toss the pasta in the skillet over the heat until the pasta is cooked to perfection and pan sauce is glossy and starchy. Turn off the heat and add your entire batch of pesto along with a good ladle of pasta water. Once again, toss / stir to combine, releasing starches to create a lovely pesto sauce. Add additional pasta water if needed. Taste and adjust the salt if needed to your liking.
• Serve up your pesto pasta with a grating of grana padano, sprinkle of pepper flakes, gorgeous microgreens, and fresh basil / parsley if desired. ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG