I needed an elevated side for smash burgers last week, so I turned to my trusty Ina for inspiration. I landed on one of her older recipes from her Barefoot Contessa Parties! cookbook: Pasta, Pesto, and Peas. Per usual, it was delicious. And definitely feeds a crowd. I will halve the recipe if making for just my family. The recipe is exactly as it sounds: a mix of two pastas, peas, pesto (and spinach!). It’s a gorgeous green color and a wonderful summer dish. This will be made on repeat for the next several months. I’ll link here and share below: https://barefootcontessa.com/recipes/pasta-pesto-and-peas
Pasta, Pesto, and Peas Recipe
- 3/4 pound fusilli pasta
- 3/4 pound bow tie pasta
- 1/4 cup good olive oil
- 1-1/2 cups pesto (packaged or homemade)
- 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1-1/4 cups good mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 1/2 cups frozen peas, defrosted
- 1/3 cup pignolis (pine nuts)
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cook the fusilli and bow ties separately in a large pot of boiling salted water for 10 to 12 minutes until each pasta is al dente. Drain and toss into a bowl with the olive oil. Cool to room temperature.
In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, puree the pesto, spinach, and lemon juice. Add the mayonnaise and puree. Add the pesto mixture to the cooled pasta and then add the Parmesan cheese, peas, pignolis, salt, and pepper. Mix well, season to taste, and serve at room temperature.
Ina’s Version
My Photos of Pasta, Pesto, and Peas
The leftovers were fabulous, too! As we head into the weekend, consider adding this to your meal plan!
