Pasta with rocket salad and walnuts pesto

I am pleased to share this easy-to-make pesto that, as many pasta dressing of the Italian tradition, is made of the very simple ingredients people could have at hand, or wild plants like rocket salad used to be.

Once again,  first quality fresh ingredients, Italian cheeses (Italian sounding is not the same!) and good extra olive oil are the secrets of this simple, full of flavour recipe. 

You can prepare the dressing in advance: it keeps for a day or so in the fridge, but also you can freeze it in portions in an air tight container or jars.

The only fuss of this recipe is to peel the walnuts from its dark skin, but it is worth the effort because you will have a smother result.

Ingredients for 4 people:

320 grs. Pasta (This was great, but you can also try smaller like "gnocchetti sardi")

100 grs /3.52 oz Rocket salad

50 gr. / 1.76 oz Walnuts

100 grs/ 3.52 (half a glass...)  extra virgin olive oil (e.v.o.o.)

30 grs./ 1 oz. Grated Pecorino (sheep cheese)

30 grs./ 1 oz Grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano

1 pinch salt + more to cook pasta

1)   Put some water in a little pan and bring it to the boil. Throw in the walnuts and drain in a colander after a couple of minutes.

2)   In the meanwhile wash, drain and dry the rocket and discard the stems.








3)  Peel the walnuts, not so easy but feasible.

4)   Put the walnuts, the cheeses, half of the e.v.o.o. and the rocket salad in a mixer - slowly at first - and work for few minutes adding the remaining oil little by little. Do not let the cream to warm up.

You should obtain a grainy cream. Refrigerate it.

5)   In a large pan bring the water to the boil, add 3 teaspoons salt, and cook the pasta as suggested on the packaging. Respect the time!

6)   In a large pan mix the pasta with the pesto. Serve immediately. White wine recommended!

Trofie (pasta) with basil pesto

My dear friend Gabriella who lives near Genoa, gave me some fresh pesto.
I could not resist to use it immediately and make a classic Italian pasta with it.
You can use store bought pesto as well... in this case, add some more taste by processing about 10 leaves fresh basil (wash and dry them!!) with 2 spoons of extra virgin olive oil to lighten up the flavour.

There are two special pasta types you can dress with this fantastic cream: trenette (sort of flat spaghetti) and trofie, but it is more and more common to see also different pastas. (use short pasta with the vegetables as described hereunder and only pesto for trenette).

Zucchini make a marvellous match as well (use 2 of them instead of green beans).

This pasta is very nice also served cold, just add some more extra virgin olive oil and mix well.
Follow me it is very easy!

Ingredients -

 for 4 people

2 medium potatoes, 
250 grs. green beans or two zucchinis 
220 gr./ 1/2 pound of trofie. 

To dress: 
4 table spoons pesto and about 2 table spoons of the cooking water.

1) Wash and clean the green beans and cut them into small pieces.


2) Wash and peel the potatoes and cut them into small cubes.







3) If you are going to cook them immediately, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and pour the vegetable to boil for 7-10 minutes.
If not, soak the vegetable into ice cold water. (Drain them before cooking).

4) Pour the pasta in the pan with  the vegetables and cook until "al dente" (follow the instructions on the packaging, normally it takes 7-10 minutes)



5) Drain in a colander, preserving a little bit of hot water, which you will use, spoon by spoon, to dilute your pesto.

6) Put the cooked pasta and the vegetables in a container and sprinkle the diluted pesto on it. Stir well without breaking the pasta.