The trick to saucing pasta with pesto is to loosen the noodles with hot pasta water. It makes all the difference.

　　

Ingredients

4 servings

　　3/4 pound dry pasta (linguine, spaghettini, fedelini, trofie), or Fresh Pasta (page 89)

　　1 1/2 cups Pesto (page 230)

　　Salt

　　Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

　　

Step 1

Cook in abundant salted boiling water: 3/4 pound dry pasta (linguine, spaghettini, fedelini, trofie), or Fresh Pasta (page 89).

　　

Step 2

Cook al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water.

　　

Step 3

Return the pasta to the pot or place in a large warm bowl and toss with: 1 1/2 cups Pesto (page 230), Salt.

　　

Step 4

Mix about 1/2 cup of the reserved hot pasta water into the noodles. Taste and add more salt or water if needed. Plate and garnish with: Freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

　　

Step 5

Serve immediately.

　　

Variations

Step 6

Place a layer of sliced, salted, ripe tomatoes on the plate before plating the pasta.

　　

Step 7

Trim 1/2 pound green beans. Cook separately in salted boiling water and add to the boiling pasta for the last minute, to reheat; toss the noodles and beans with the pesto sauce.

　　

Step 8

Peel and cut 1/2 pound potatoes into small cubes. Cook separately. Heat the cooked potatoes in the pasta water in the last minute the pasta is cooking. Toss with the noodles and pesto.

　　The Art of Simple Food