Pesto Rotini with Blistered Tomatoes
Cook Time: 20 MINUTES
Serves: 2 PEOPLE
INGREDIENTS: 7
Ingredients
- 1 box Banza rotini
- 1½ cups tightly packed basil leaves, plus additional for garnish
- ½ cup tightly packed spinach leaves
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- 1 garlic clove
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan, plus additional for garnish
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 pint multi-colored cherry tomatoes, quartered lengthwise
- Toasted pine nuts, for garnish
Directions
- Blanch Greens: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season generously with salt. Add basil and spinach leaves, and cook for 10 seconds, or until bright green in color. Remove with tongs or a strainer, reserving water for next step. Rinse under cold water until cool, then squeeze out excess water between towels.
- Cook Banza: Add Banza to boiling water and cook according to package directions. Strain pasta with cold water to stop cooking and set aside.
- Make Pesto: While pasta cooks, in a blender or food processor pulse pine nuts and garlic until finely chopped. Add blanched greens and olive oil and puree until completely smooth. Then add lemon juice and Parmesan. Puree again until combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired.
- Finish Pasta: In a large bowl, combine Banza and pesto and toss until pasta is coated. Stir in tomatoes, and garnish with extra basil leaves or grated Parmesan.
Tips
• Note: this is meant to be served cold
