Rustic Italian Pasta with Walnut-Pesto Pan Sauce

By garciamoss

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound penne pasta
• 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen broccoli florets
• 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cauliflower florets
• 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more, to taste
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/3 cup chopped toasted walnuts
• 1/4 cup lemon juice, plus more, to taste
• 1/4 cup sliced fresh basil

Details

Adapted from organicauthority.com

Preparation

Step 1

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat; add pasta and boil until almost al dente. Add broccoli and cauliflower florets to pot and continue boiling until pasta and vegetables are both just-tender. Drain; reserve a bit of cooking water.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large saucepan; add garlic, zest, dried basil, dried oregano, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook until just fragrant, stirring, about 1 minute. Add tomato paste; stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add walnuts and lemon juice; cook until liquid cooks down and mixture thickens, stirring, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add additional olive oil and/or lemon juice to taste; you’re aiming for a slightly thickened consistency, with enough pan sauce to coat all of the pasta and vegetables.

Add reserved pasta and vegetables to skillet, along with fresh basil. Toss with pan sauce to coat everything evenly. Add a few splashes of reserved cooking water to pasta as needed to increase liquid levels, if needed. Season and serve.