Quick & Tasty Pesto Macaroni

Fast, simple, bright, aromatic, very tasty! Macaroni with pesto and cheese is a famous dish in Italian cuisine. The sauce is made from basil, nuts and cheese, it has a very rich taste and does not require any additions in the form of meat or fish. Preparing the dish will not take you much time.
cook time: 20 min
Logan Winslow
Quick & Tasty Pesto Macaroni

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

413
Calories
26g
Fat
38g
Carbs
11g
Protein

Ingredients (2 portions)

Basic:

Garlic 1 clove
Olive oil (or a little more) 4 tbsp
Salt to taste
Parmesan 50 g
Pasta 200 g
Basil (bunch) 50 g
Pine nuts 1 tbsp

Recipe instructions

Step 1

Step 1
How to make pesto pasta and cheese? Prepare your food. Take pasta of any shape, I have spirals, spaghetti or feathers work well. Choose pasta made from durum wheat varieties — they are tastier and healthier. Only green basil is suitable for pesto; you can also add parsley to it. The classic recipe uses pine nuts, but you can replace them with cashews or walnuts.

Step 2

Step 2
Immediately place a pan of water on the stove to cook the pasta — the sauce is prepared quickly, they will have time to cook. Bring water to a boil, add salt. Add the pasta and stir so it doesnʼt stick to the bottom. Cook the pasta over medium heat according to the time indicated on the package. They should remain slightly firm, as the Italians say, al dente, to the tooth — this pasta tastes better.

Step 3

Step 3
While the pasta is cooking, prepare the pesto. It can be done in a blender, chopper or with a knife attachment, as I did. Rinse the basil very well under cool running water. Then dry it thoroughly with a paper towel. Tear the leaves into a blender bowl. Add nuts, peeled garlic clove and salt. Be careful with salt, there will still be cheese in the composition. Blend everything with a blender until it forms a paste. Pour in a little oil and beat again.

Step 4

Step 4
Grate the cheese on a fine grater. Leave a small piece to sprinkle on the dish when serving. Traditional pesto always uses Parmesan. But it can be replaced with any other hard cheese.

Step 5

Step 5
Place the grated cheese into the bowl and add a little more oil. Grind the mixture until it becomes mushy. Adjust the thickness with the amount of oil. I added a little more than what is listed in the ingredients. The result should be a sauce similar to thick honey.

Step 6

Step 6
Meanwhile, the pasta will be ready, drain the water from it. I deliberately do not use a colander so that a little water remains in them — the sauce will mix better in such pasta. Place a portion of pasta on a plate and add one and a half to two tablespoons of sauce. Stir.

Step 7

Step 7
Grate the reserved cheese on top and garnish with fresh basil. Serve the pesto pasta immediately. Bon appetit!

Additional rubrics

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