Pasta with Peas & Pesto

 

I made another quick and easy pasta dish for dinner today.  Pasta with Peas & Pesto.  This is something that I used to make very frequently when I worked at the Manor. My boss was really fond of it.

I  used to use a recipe from Ina Garten to make it for her.  There was fresh basil in abundance there so it was very easy to make my own pesto from scratch. Here where I live now, it is  not so easy.  Fresh basil is only available in small amounts and is almost always bruised and discolored from being store in too cold an environment.

 

Basil is a soft herb and does  not like the cold.  If I can get it I will buy a basil plant, but I never buy the already pinched off leaves in the plastic packets. Its a huge waste of money.  HUGE.  (Well, here at any rate!)  Hooray for the summer when you can grow your own herbs!

Today's recipe is a mishmash of the two.  I used the barebones idea of Ina's recipe and I combined it with a recipe I found on Cookie and Kate, which she adapted from the cookbook, Take It Easy by Gaby Dalton.

Oh how I long to live in an area where fresh, quality produce is available and reasonably priced. It is really appalling here where I live.  Bring on the summer months when there plenty at the farmer's markets!  

 

The key word here is quality.  I am so over paying top price for disgusting produce that is already on the verge of going rotten when I find it.  I think we live at the end of the food chain here in my area.   Most of what we get is already moldy and or discolored or at the edge of being so. Its's almost depressing.

I was so lucky in the U.K.  Everything was so much better quality than what I have available to me here.  I was so spoiled.  I am afraid I took it all quite for granted. Shame on me!

About the only things that are any good when you buy them are carrots, and they are often on the verge as well, growing hairs within a few days of me getting them home.  I kid you not!  It is a sad statement of affairs when the frozen vegetables you buy are superior to the fresh!

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE PASTA WITH PEAS & PESTO

Just a few simple store cupboard ingredients.  This is a small batch recipe so quantities are to feed two. If you would like to feed more, simply double or triple the ingredients.

• 8 ounces dry pasta (227g)
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup (65 - 85g) good quality prepared pesto
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 TBS good quality grated Parmesan cheese or Pecorino Romano
• 2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
• the juice and zest of one lemon
• pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups (142g - 227g) of frozen peas
• salt and black pepper to taste
• Parmesan Cheese to sprinkle over top
• toasted pine nuts to sprinkle over top (optional)
• Fresh Basil leaves to garnish (optional)
• Lemon slices to garnish (optional)

 

I like to use a good quality pasta and will buy the best, preferably Italian, brand that is available to me at the shops.   I used La Molisana pasta.   Malfalda is what this shape is called and it resembled short small lasagna noodles. You want a shortish type of pasta for this recipe.

I used fresh grated Parmesan that I got at the deli counter in the shops. If at all possible do try to avoid using the one that comes in the green plastic container which is on the grocery shelves.  😖  When it comes to that, yes, I am a bit of a snob.  I grew up on it, but in all honesty, I didn't know better. I do now.

 

I used frozen organic baby peas. I buy them in the frozen organic section of the grocery shops. They have a whole range of frozen organic vegetables and quite often you can get them 2 packages for $9, which is not bad for organic foods.

I used Sardo Fresh Basil Pesto which comes in a box containing individual packs of fresh pesto.  I like this brand because it tastes good and I don't have to open a whole big jar to get a little bit of pesto.  There are four individual tubs in the pack and it lasts a good while.  When I buy it in the jar I usually end up having to throw most of it away.

For a person living on their own this is a great option.

I only had one lemon and so I did not have lemon to garnish the pasta with, nor did I have fresh basil leaves. I find that the ones in the shops are always discolored from being kept too cold.

 

HOW TO MAKE PASTA WITH PEAS & PESTO

Nothing could really be easier. If you like pasta, peas and pesto, then you will love this quick and easy dish!

Place a large pot of lightly salted water on to boil. Cook the pasta to al dente according to the package directions, adding the frozen peas for the last two minutes of cook time.

While the pasta is cooking, whisk together the garlic, cheese, lemon juice and zest, red pepper flakes (if using) and olive oil to combine. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

Drain the pasta and rinse under hot running water.

 

Toss the cooked pasta and peas together with the garlic and cheese mixture and the prepared pesto, folding everything together well. Taste and adjust seasoning again as required.

Pop into a large heated bowl to serve, garnished with additional grated cheese, toasted pine nuts, lemon slices and basil leaves if using. Serve immediately. 

 

This was really quick and very easy to make. It was also delicious!! If you wanted to I think you could very easily add some canned tuna into the mix and it would be fabulous. 

 

On its own, however, it was very good.  I only had one lemon and no fresh basil so was unable to garnish it with lemon slices and fresh basil, but it would be really pretty garnished with both.

It made for a lovely, quick and easy mid week meal. I enjoyed it simply with some buttered crusty bread.  Crusty bread with pasta is one of my many weaknesses.

If you are a fan of quick and easy and of pasta recipes, you might also enjoy the following tasty options!

PASTA E PISELLI - Simple ingredients put together in a simple way.  Pasta, peas, water and cheese. It doesn't get any simpler or easier than this. You wouldn't think that simple things like this could come together in such a delicious way, but like magic, they do!  I love this.

CHEESY TUNA SKILLET PASTA - This is a fabulously tasty skillet meal.  It goes together really quickly and is done in about 15 minutes time maximum. While it is cooking you can be putting together a nice salad to serve on the side. Easy peasy. It's like your favorite Tuna Casserole, or Tuna Helper I guess. Cooked on top of the stove, all in one dish. Again, no fuss, no muss.

Yield: 2 - 3 depending on appetites

Author: Marie Rayner

Pasta with Peas & Pesto

Cook time: 20 MinTotal time: 20 Min

This small batch recipe makes two servings of pasta, featuring the delicious flavors of peas and pesto. It uses basic ingredients and is quick and easy to make, making it a great mid-week supper to have on hand for busy days! It can easily be doubled to serve more.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces dry pasta (227g)
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup (65 - 85g) good quality prepared pesto
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 TBS good quality grated Parmesan cheese or Pecorino Romano
• 2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
• the juice and zest of one lemon
• pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups (142g - 227g) of frozen peas
• salt and black pepper to taste
• Parmesan Cheese to sprinkle over top
• toasted pine nuts to sprinkle over top (optional)
• Fresh Basil leaves to garnish (optional)
• Lemon slices to garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Place a large pot of lightly salted water on to boil. Cook the pasta to al dente according to the package directions, adding the frozen peas for the last two minutes of cook time.
2. While the pasta is cooking, whisk together the garlic, cheese, lemon juice and zest, red pepper flakes (if using) and olive oil to combine. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
3. Drain the pasta and rinse under hot water.
4. Toss the cooked pasta and peas together with the garlic and cheese mixture and the prepared pesto, folding everything together well. Taste and adjust seasoning again as required.
5. Pop into a large heated bowl to serve, garnished with additional grated cheese, toasted pine nuts, lemon slices and basil leaves if using.
6. Serve immediately.

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