Pesto Spaghettios

These Pesto Spaghettios work well for lunch, dinner or meal prep! A winning recipe for comfort food season!

With the musical stylings of Eartha Kitt and Les Escrocs keeping me company – sweet French melodies from my favorite movie soundtrack, sunshine pouring through the window, and the aroma of fresh garlic and toasted pine nuts perfuming the air, I embarked on an activity that provided me memory insurance. I knew that during the coldest days of our COVID winter, just plucking a cube or two of frozen pesto from a ziploc bag in the freezer would warm me from the inside out. And I was right.

This post, not really about pasta at all, is the story of a summer day. Standing in my kitchen with what appeared to be a basil patch growing smack dab in the middle of the island – there was nowhere else I’d rather be.

I had finally grown enough basil, along with tomatoes, hot peppers and a few sprigs of mint (for Dom’s frosty mojitos), to make homemade pesto to freeze. It was a calculated decision back in June to embark on a small planter garden on the back patio, a decision that I’d hoped would produce delicious rewards come March.

And here we are.

Pesto Spaghettios (with basil from my little garden).

INGREDIENTS FOR PESTO SPAGHETTIOS:

Pesto

• 4 cups packed fresh basil leaves
• 3 – 5 cloves garlic, lightly chopped
• 1/2 – 1 cup toasted pine nuts (place pine nuts in a small frying pan and toast for 2–3 minutes until slightly browned and aromatic)
• 1 cup of olive oil
• kosher salt and cracked black pepper
• 1 cup freshly grated Romano cheese

Pasta

• 1 lb. round pastas (Anellini Siciliani)
• Salt
• 1/2 lb. mozzarella
• Parmesan
• Red pepper flakes

DIRECTIONS:

Basil Pesto

1. Combine the basil, garlic, and toasted pine nuts in a food processor. Pulse until coarsely chopped.
2. Slowly add the 1 cup olive oil. Process until fully incorporated and smooth.
3. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Transfer to a bowl and mix in (by hand) the Romano cheese.

(To freeze pesto, simply do Steps 1 – 4, and pour into ice cube trays. Place trays in the freezer until pesto is solid, then transfer cubes to resealable freezer bags. When you’re ready to use, grab as many cubes as you’ll need, defrost in the refrigerator or on the counter, and add to dishes for that fresh from the garden experience.)

Pasta

1. Bring 4 quarts of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente, about 15 minutes.
2. In a large serving bowl, combine pasta, pesto and 1/2 lb. of mozzarella cut into bite-sized cubes.
3. Serve warm with a sprinkle of Parm and red pepper flakes!

Buon Appetito!

MORE COMFORT FOOD:

Cheesy Shepherd’s Pie

Slow Cooker Loaded Baked Potato Soup

German-Style Pan Fried Potatoes with Bacon

Pesto Spaghettios

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• Author: Ciao Chow Bambina

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Description

These Pesto Spaghettios work well for lunch, dinner or meal prep! A winning recipe for comfort food season!

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Pesto Ingredients

4 cups packed fresh basil leaves

3 – 5 cloves garlic, lightly chopped

1/2 – 1 cup toasted pine nuts (place pine nuts in a small frying pan and toast for 2–3 minutes until slightly browned and aromatic)

1 cup of olive oil

kosher salt and cracked black pepper

1 cup freshly grated Romano cheese

Pasta Ingredients

1 lb. round pastas (Anellini Siciliani)

Salt

1/2 lb. mozzarella, cut into bite-sized cubes

Parmesan

Red pepper flakes

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Instructions

To make the pesto, combine the basil, garlic, and toasted pine nuts in a food processor. Pulse until coarsely chopped.

Slowly add the 1 cup olive oil. Process until fully incorporated and smooth.

Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer to a bowl and mix in (by hand) the Romano cheese. Set aside.

To prepare the pasta, bring 4 quarts of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente, about 15 minutes.

In a large serving bowl, combine pasta, pesto and 1/2 lb. of mozzarella cut into bite-sized cubes.

Serve warm with a sprinkle of Parm and red pepper flakes!

 

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Notes

To freeze pesto, simply do Steps 1 – 4, and pour into ice cube trays. Place trays in the freezer until pesto is solid, then transfer cubes to resealable freezer bags. When you’re ready to use, grab as many cubes as you’ll need, defrost in the refrigerator or on the counter, and add to dishes for that fresh from the garden experience.