This homemade pesto recipe is delicious, and makes a perfect sauce for pesto pasta. I like my pesto pasta to have a thick sauce with lots of flavor. A thin, watery pesto pasta is not for me and if you feel the same way, then give this pasta dish a go, and for best results use a hearty pasta that will hold lots of pesto sauce, something like penne or rotini. A printable copy of this Pesto Recipe can be found at http://www.myfoodchannel.com/pesto-recipe/Give this easy pesto pasta recipe a try and let me know what you think, and for more recipes check out the Chef Buck playlist: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2EFBD7E8FE2BB552 and to print all recipes visit my website at http://www.myfoodchannel.com/Check here for CURRENT PINE NUT PRICES on Amazon https://amzn.to/2Smoh3xThanks for checking out our videos! We include affiliate links for products. If you make a purchase after clicking on our links, we may earn a commission which helps us produce more videos and drink more coffee.We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Connect with this media to catch all of my videos...thanks:MY OTHER YOUTUBE CHANNEL: http://www.youtube.com/user/buckredbuckTWITTER https://twitter.com/buckredbuckINSTAGRAMhttps://www.instagram.com/buckredbuck/PRINT RECIPES AT MY WEBSITE: http://www.myfoodchannel.com/RECIPE PLAYLISTS: http://www.youtube.com/user/FromUnderTheRockHow to make PestoPesto Recipe Ingredients: cup PINE NUTS, toasted (or substitute almonds or walnuts)2-3 cloves garlic2 cups (packed) fresh BASIL leaves (sub 1 cup for SPINACH leaves) [4oz grocery basil = approx 2 cups]zest & juice from 1 small LEMON - cup OLIVE OIL (darker the better) tsp SALT and tsp PEPPER to taste tsp crushed RED PEPPER FLAKES cup (to taste) freshly grated PARMESAN CHEESE (or asiago or Pecorino)16oz PASTA (I prefer penne or rotini for this dish)Pesto Pasta Recipe Directions:Toast the pine nuts at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for approx 3 minutes--but watch them like a hawk!--they will toast fast and you DO NOT WANT TO OVERTOAST OR BURN them 'cause they cost TOO MUCH DAMN MONEY!Place pine nuts and garlic in a food processor and pulse/chop. Season with salt and pepper and red pepper flakes. Into the processor, add basil (when buying basil, choose basil that has NOT flowered yet--or only a little--basil loses sweetness as the plant flowers), spinach, lemon juice and zest. Process until the greens are shredded. Add olive oil incrementally and process until fully incorporated and to desired smoothness and consistency. Transfer the pesto to a serving bowl and mix in the freshly grated parmesan cheese. And that's it--your pesto sauce is complete! Use it however you see fit!For pesto pasta:In a pot, cook 16oz of pasta according to package directions. I recommend a pasta that is thick and hearty, with lots of surface area for the pesto sauce to cling to -- I like to use penne or rotini pasta.When pasta is cooked to desired consistency (a little al dente is best, I think)...reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta--DO NOT RINSE!--this washes away flavor! Immediately return drained pasta to the pot and add in the pesto. Mix with the noodles. Add some of the reserved pasta water until the sauce is as desired. Add pasta water SLOWLY! You DO NOT want to make your pesto sauce TOO THIN! Or at least I don't--I like a lot of pesto flavor with my pasta. Top with freshly grated parmesan cheese and serve.Give this pesto pasta recipe a go and let me know what you think, and bon apptit!
