Spinach and walnuts go well together and make a great pesto to dress pasta. This recipe is ideal for a quick meal; sometimes I like to add a few tablespoons of fresh ricotta to the pasta.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 3 cups pesto, enough for 1 pound pasta, serving 6 people, and 1 1/2 cups extra (see note)
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for pasta.
Step 2
Pulse the spinach, basil, walnuts, garlic, and salt in a food processor. Pour in 1 1/2 cups of the olive oil in a slow, steady stream. Process to make a smooth paste, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Step 3
Pour the fusilli into the boiling water, and cook until al dente. Scrape half of the pesto into a large skillet, and add 1 cup pasta water (no need to heat the sauce). Use a spider to drain the pasta and transfer to the skillet. Toss to coat the pasta with the pesto. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Toss with the grated cheese and serve.
notes
Step 4
You can freeze the remaining half of the pesto for future use. Just pack it into a plastic container and pour a thin film of olive oil over the top. Thaw in refrigerator before using. Or you can cut the recipe in half, if you just want enough for 1 pound of pasta.
