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Pasta al Pesto the Ligurian
Way
In the Summer of 2005 David and I took
a trip through Italy. The food was fabulous, of course, and
on one Sunday in the little town of Vernazza in the Cinque
Terre we ended up in this restaurant on the town square at
lunch time. The tables were set outside under umbrellas,
there were musicians playing, people walking by on their way
to the water to swim or fish- it could not have been more
picturesque. Despite my Italian heritage, I don’t speak
much Italian but had learned how to ask for the specialty of
the house. On this day they brought me a steaming bowl of
soup- not the best thing in 90 degree weather but they were
telling the truth. It was the best soup I had ever had. I
was able to get our tour guide to wheedle the recipe out of
the chef and with a few suggestions to make it a little
easier, here it is. With some crusty bread, it is a one pot
meal on a cold night. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
1 medium
Yukon Gold potato, peeled and diced
Medium
pinch coarse salt
12 oz.
gnocchi, trofiette or other pasta
about ½
lb. very thin green beans such as haricots verts
1 TB
olive oil
one
quart chicken(or vegetable) stock (I use Pacific Organic)
one
whole boneless chicken breast sliced in thin, bite sized
strips
Ligurian
Pesto (recipe following) or purchased
Fresh
Cracked Black Pepper
Parmesan
Cheese for grating on top if desired.
Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over
medium high heat. Add the chicken strips and cook until
browned. Add the chicken stock and scrape the bottom of the
pan to remove any browned bits. Bring to a boil and add
first the potatoes, then the pasta and then the green
beans. This could vary depending on how large your green
beans are and what type of pasta you are using. ( As a
general rule I add the potato and cook it about 3-4 minutes
then add the pasta and cook it till it is about 2/3 the way
to al dente. If it is frozen gnocchi it only takes a few
minutes total so put the beans in at the same time- if it is
dried trofiette it could be 8-12 minutes so use your
judgment.) Next add the green beans and cook until the
pasta is al dente and the green beans are bright green and
crisp/tender. Stir in pesto (about a half cup if using
store bought). Ladle into warmed bowls and top with a
grinding of fresh pepper and a grating of fresh parmesan
cheese. *Sometimes if I want more color, I add about a ½
cup of julienned sundried tomatoes to the broth when
boiling. This recipe is very forgiving so feel free to
experiment!
Serves about 3-4.
Ligurian Pesto
Ingredients:
2 garlic
cloves
4 TB
lightly toasted pine nuts
3 cups
packed fresh basil leaves
½ cup
extra virgin olive oil
½ cup
freshly grated parmesan cheese
¼ cup
freshly grated pecorino cheese
salt and
freshly ground black pepper to taste
Combine the garlic and pine nuts in a
food processor and whirr until the nuts are well broken up.
Add half the basil and process until pureed. Add the
remaining basil and the oil. Process until the mixture
turns into a thick greenish sauce. If it is too thin add
more basil, If it is too thick add more oil. Stir in the
Parmesan and the pecorino and season with salt and pepper to
taste. Store in the refrigerator covered with a thin layer
of olive oil for up to two weeks. Can be frozen in small
quantities (in ice cube trays perhaps- popped out when solid
and put in freezer bags) but be gentle when defrosting. No
microwave! Defrost at room temperature or let the container
sit in hot water, stirring occasionally.
Yields enough for the soup recipe or
for about four servings of pasta.
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