His and Hers Pasta with Pesto

her pesto

This recipe comes from a Mollie Katzen cookbook (The Enchanted Broccoli Forest).  It's easy and delicious.  Simple to scale up or down.  Good for warding off vampires.

Pesto (makes enough for 4-6 servings)
3 c. basil leaves (washed and lightly dried, packed firmly into a cup measure)
1/4 c. pine nuts (or walnuts)
3/4 c. parmesan cheese, grated
5 cloves garlic
1/3 c. olive oil
generous salt and peppering


Add the first four ingredients to a food processor (or lawnmower) and begin processing.  Add olive oil slowly or in batches (if you add it all at once it splashes all over the place).  Whirr to desired consistency.  Sometimes it's fun to have slightly chunky pesto.  Taste and adjust salt&pepper.


Meanwhile, you boiled some noodles, right?  And rinsed them but not cooled completely?  And chopped a beautiful tomato and some fresh mozzarella?

Good.  Stir it together and eat it.

his pesto: fewer tomatoes, more PARM!