Pasta Pesto and Peas

By karen1

Ingredients

• 3/4 pound fusilli pasta
• 3/4 pound bowtie pasta
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups pesto (packaged or homemade recipe below)
• 1 10 ounce frozen chopped spinach defrosted and squeezed dry
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 1/4 cups mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan
• 1 1/2 cups frozen peas, defrosted
• 1/3 cup pignoli (pine nuts)
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• Pesto ingredients
• 1/4 c. walnuts
• 1/4 cup pignoli (pine nuts)
• 3 tablespoons chopped garlic (9 cloves)
• 5 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup freshly grated parmesan

Details

Servings 12

Preparation

Step 1

Cook fusilli and bow ties separately in a large pot of boiling salted water for 10 to 12 minutes until each pasta is al dente. Drain and toss into a bow with the olive oil. Cool to room temperature. In the bowl of food processor fitted with steel blade, puree the pesto, spinach and lemon juice. Add the mayonnaise and puree. Add the pesto mixture to the cooled pasta and then add the parmesan, peas, pignoli, salt and pepper. Mix well, season to taste, and serve at room temperature.

Pesto
Place walnuts, pignoli, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process for 15 seconds. Add the basil leaves, salt, and pepper. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil into the bowl through the feed tube and process until the pesto is thoroughly ppureed. Add the parmesan and puree for a minute. Use right away or store the pesto in the refrigerator or freezer with a thin film of olive oil on top. For freezing pack it in containers with a film of oil or plastic wrap directly on top with the air pressed out.