Lemon & Pistachio Pesto Pasta

A few notes on this recipe:

• Pine nuts are traditional in pesto, but you could also use all pistachios, or ½ cup each walnuts and pistachios.
• Toasting the nuts here is essential, because it releases their oils, which in turn will help slow the oxidation process caused by the addition of acid (lemon juice) to the fresh basil.
• Putting the bowl and blades of your food processor in the freezer for a few minutes while you prep will also slow the oxidation process down.
• Don’t be worried if your pesto is sort of yellowish. Once again, that’s caused by oxidation – the tips above to slow down the oxidation process won’t affect the flavor, they just make for a slightly greener pesto
• It’s best not to over-garlic this version (although you can if you want to) – the brightness of the lemon juice adds enough punch as it is, so only 1 or 2 cloves of garlic are needed.
• Lastly, pesto isn’t really a “sauce” per-se, so it shouldn’t be loose and watery – it should be more of a paste. In fact, in addition to being great on pasta, Italians often use it as a spread for sandwiches, or just on bread itself.

You Will Need:

1. A sturdy Food Processor (I think Cuisinart makes great food processors)
2. A Food Scale (optional, but makes a lot of things easier – especially with this recipe)

Ingredients

1. 3 finger pinch of Kosher salt (about ½ teaspoon)
2. 2 finger pinch of MSG (about ¼ teaspoon, optional)
3. A few generous grinds of fresh ground black pepper
4. 1 lb pasta of your choice (if you can find it, use fresh pasta from the refrigerated section of the deli at your local grocery store – linguine, pappardelle, and fettuccini are all good choices – but any long-shape pasta will be excellent)
5. ½ cup shelled pistachio nuts (~75g)
6. ½ cup pine nuts (~75g) – optional, if omitting use 1 whole up shelled pistachio nuts
7. Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
8. 1-2 cloves garlic, grated on a microplane, pressed, or finely minced
9. 2 packed cups fresh, tightly packed basil leaves (about 80g-100g)) – that’s maybe 2 or 3 plants if you’re buying the living potted basil at the grocery store.
10. 1½ cups (~140g) grated hard Italian cheese, such as Parmesan, Pecorino Romano, Grana Padano or Asiago – or a blend for added flavor complexity
11. About ¼ cup olive oil (drizzle as you go)

Prep

1. Place the bowl and blades of your food processor in the freezer for a few minutes while picking your basil and toasting your nuts
2. Pick the leaves off the stalks of your basil plants – tender stems are okay, but be sure to discard anything thicker than a strand of spaghetti
3. Toast nuts over medium heat until just barely browned, tossing occasionally, about 1 minute. Remove from heat; you can leave the nuts in there for now.
4. Remove blades and bowl of food processor from the freezer.
5. Add nuts, followed by picked basil, to the ice cold bowl of your food processor
6. Add zest and juice of your lemon, plus garlic, cheeses, Salt and Pepper
7. Add about a 3 count of olive oil (about 3 tablespoons)
8. Place the lid on the food processor and pulse a few times, scrape the sides down, add another splash of oil, then turn the food processor on. Add oil as needed to achieve desired consistency, which should be somewhat pasty and porridge like – it should not be runny.
9. Transfer to a bowl, deli container, or other food storage container, and top with Extra Virgin Olive Oil; store with plastic wrap in full contact with the surface of the pesto, or in an airtight container with a lid. Refrigerate for up to a week.

Cook

1. When ready to serve, remove pesto from the fridge and allow to sit at room temperature while pasta cooks.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions
3. When there is about 1 minute left on the pasta, use a coffee mug or other cup to retrieve about ½ cup of starchy pasta water from the pot the pasta is cooking in
4. Drain pasta into a colander and set aside
5. Add a splash of reserved starchy pasta water to the bottom of the pot the pasta was cooked in
6. Add the pasta back to this pot, along with your pesto
7. Return to medium-low heat; shake and stir vigorously with tongs or a wooden spoon until sauce is clinging to the pasta. Continue adding pasta water, a splash at a time, until the mixture is creamy and almost no liquid remains in the pot.
8. Plate pasta as desired; Garnish with additional pine nuts and grated Parmesan, if desired.

Serve with Essential Garlic Bread and/or Asparagus to round out the meal

Bonus Round:

If you want some protein to go with this, mix equal parts pesto and mayo (maybe 3 tablespoons each), and use as a marinade for some thinly slice chicken breasts – which you can then grill, or sear off in a cast iron skillet.