Classic Genoise pesto pasta with green beans and baby potatoes
 
 
Half box (250 gms) pasta (I prefer to use shapes(penne and farfalle) for this though the ribbons (spaghetti, linguine etc) are more traditional Basil leaves - 2 big handfuls (about 4 of the typical packets)
Author:
Ingredients
  • Garlic - ⅔ cloves
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil - half cup
  • Pine Nuts (chilgoze) - 3 Tbsp
  • Freshly grated parmesan - half cup (blasphemy though this maybe, I find that the Amul Gouda is a very delicious alternative)
  • salt
  • Green beans - 200 gms, cut into 3 inch long pieces
  • Peeled Baby Potatoes - about 10
Directions
  1. To make the delicious pesto, blitz up the basil leaves with the garlic, pine nuts and enough oil to be able to grind. I prefer a chopper for this but a mixer jar works as well as long as you dont grind the paste too fine. Note that too much of the oil at this stage may make the pesto bitter so be conservative. Once the leaves are ground, add the oil, the cheese and mix. Season to taste.
  2. Boil plenty of water with salt and cook the beans till the colour brightens. Remove and immediately plunge in cold water to prevent over cooking. The beans should be bright green and crunchy.
  3. Add the potatoes to the water and remove once tender. Halve and reserve.
  4. Boil the pasta till al-dente and reserve about half cup of the water.
  5. Toss pasta, pesto, beans and potatoes together adding as much of the reserved water as is needed to keep the pasta moist but not liquidy (I know thats not a word but hello..it does the job right?). Season as required.
Recipe by Bombay Chowparty at http://bombaychowparty.com/pesto-pasta-and-a-nostalgic-picnic-in-mumbai/