Fusilli pasta with pistachio pesto and cherry tomatoes

Name: Fusilli pasta with pistachio pesto and cherry tomatoes
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Fusilli pasta 11 oz; Cherry tomatoes 1.1 lbs; Leeks 3 oz; Extra virgin olive oil 1 ½ tbsp; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste; Unsalted pistacchios (shelled and unroasted) 3.5 oz; Basil 2 leaves; Water ¼ cup; Lemon peel 2.6 tbsp; Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese (grated) 2 tbsp; Garlic 1 clove; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste; Extra virgin olive oil ¼ cup

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648

Calories per serving

Vegetarian
Lactose Free

Energy Kcal 648
Carbohydrates g 74.8
of which sugars g 9.6
Protein g 17
Fats g 31.2
of which saturated fat g 4.88
Fiber g 7.1
Cholesterol mg 3
Sodium mg 622

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Serving: 4 people
Cost: Average

PRESENTATION

Pistachios, cherry tomatoes, and short pasta: all of the flavors of the Mediterranean packed into a single recipe. Fusilli pasta with pistachio pesto and cherry tomatoes is an ideal pasta dish to surprise your guests. People often think that pistachios are only used in desserts, but they’re also great in savory recipes and their intense, unique flavor sets off the sweetness of cherry tomatoes to perfection. This very full-bodied sauce needs a pasta shape that can hold it and deliver an explosion of flavor with every forkful. We chose fusilli, but you can pick any pasta shape you like… even lasagna! Fusilli pasta with pistachio pesto and cherry tomatoes is ideal for a summer dinner or quick, tasty Sunday lunch. And to savor the flavor of the pistachios, make sure you choose the one-and-only Bronte pistachios.

Check out our variations of pesto:

INGREDIENTS

648

Calories per serving

Fusilli pasta 11 oz (320 g)

Cherry tomatoes 1.1 lbs (500 g)

Leeks 3 oz (80 g)

Extra virgin olive oil 1 ½ tbsp (20 g)

Fine salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

For the pistachio pesto: Unsalted pistacchios 3.5 oz (100 g) - (shelled and unroasted); Basil 2 leaves; Water ¼ cup (50 ml); Lemon peel 2.6 tbsp (10 g); Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese 2 tbsp (15 g) - (grated); Garlic 1 clove; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste; Extra virgin olive oil ¼ cup (50 g)

Preparation

How to prepare Fusilli pasta with pistachio pesto and cherry tomatoes

To prepare the fusilli pasta with pistachio pesto and cherry tomatoes, begin with the pesto: Take the shelled pistachios and blanch them in boiling water for 5 minutes 1, drain, and remove the dark skin 2. Place the pistachios in a food processor and add oil 3.

Add the grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, the zest of half a lemon, half a clove of garlic, room-temperature water, salt and pepper, and the basil leaves 4. Blitz until you get a smooth paste 5. Now transfer the pistachio pesto to a bowl and set aside. In the meantime, boil the water for the pasta and add salt once it’s reached a boil. Then move on to the leek: Remove the root part 6.

Discard the tough outermost layer of the leek 7 and slice the rest into rounds 8. Fry the leek in a pan with a little oil 9.

To keep the leek from burning, add hot water directly from the pasta pot to the pan 10 and let it stew. Wash the cherry tomatoes under running water and cut them into quarters 11, then add to the leek 12.

Season with salt and pepper 13 and cover the pan with a lid 14. Leave everything to cook over moderate heat for 10 minutes. The cherry tomatoes will break down to form a sauce. Add salt to the pasta water and bring it to a boil: Pour in the fusilli and cook for the time stated on the package 15.

By now, the sauce will be ready: Turn off the heat and add the pistachio pesto 16, stir 17, and pour over a ladleful of the pasta cooking water to combine everything well 18.

Drain the fusilli and pour into the pan with the sauce 19, then turn up the heat for a few moments as you coat everything in the sauce 20. Serve your fusilli pasta with pistachio pesto and cherry tomatoes 21!

Storage

The fusilli pasta with pistachio pesto and cherry tomatoes is best eaten immediately: If you have any leftovers, you can keep them in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container or covered with plastic wrap. Pistachio pesto can be kept in the fridge for 4-5 days in a jar or frozen for up to 3 months.

Tips

You can jazz up the flavor of your pistachio pesto by adding a few marjoram or mint leaves to the food processor. If you prefer a sauce with a stronger flavor, you can replace the leek with onion or shallot.