Pasta with Green Beans, Potatoes and Pesto
- 2 cups basil leaves
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- Salt
- ½ cup grated Pecorino Romano or other hard sheep’s-milk cheese or Parmigiano-Reggiano
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil, or more to taste
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- 2 medium potatoes (about ½ pound), peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
- 1 pound trenette or linguine
- ½ pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths
Instructions:
Pesto has become a staple, especially in late summer when basil is at its best. But pasta with pesto does have its limits; it’s simply not substantial enough to serve as a main course. Chunks of potatoes and green beans make it more complex, more filling, and more interesting than plain pasta with pesto.
- Begin heating a large pot of water for the potatoes and pasta. Combine the basil, garlic, salt to taste, and cheese in a blender or food processor; pulse until roughly chopped. Add ½ cup oil in a steady stream, and continue to blend until the mixture is fairly creamy adding a little more oil or some water, if necessary. Add the pine nuts, and pulse a few times to chop them into the sauce.
- Salt the boiling water. Add the potatoes and stir; cook for 3 minutes, then add the pasta, and cook as usual, stirring frequently about 10 minutes in all. When the pasta is about half done—the strands will bend but are not yet tender—add the green beans.
- When the pasta is done, the potatoes and beans should be tender. Drain the pasta and vegetables, toss with pesto and more salt or olive oil, if you like, and serve.