Rigatoni with Pea Pesto
What could be better than pasta for a quick and easy meal? This recipe for Rigatoni with Pea Pesto is super original and a change from the traditional pesto.
How to make Pea Pesto?
When I say pea pesto, I mean a pesto made with peas but also withfresh spinach, basil, parmesan, garlic and olive oil. I also added a few almonds to replace the pine nuts and some lemon to counterbalance the slightly sweet taste of the peas.
The principle is very simple: I cooked my fresh spinach with garlic for a few minutes in a saucepot. I then added the peas so they would cook. Then I poured it all into a blender with basil leaves, parmesan, a few almonds and a drizzle of olive oil. I then blended it all together and seasoned it with salt and pepper. To finish, I added a dash of lemon.
My little tip: add some of the pasta cooking water to your pesto and mix it again. Your pesto will be smoother!
What type of peas should I choose?
You can choose fresh or frozen peas. Personally, I used frozen peas and just cooked them with the spinach for a few minutes.
If using fresh peas, cook them for 20 minutes in boiling water before using. I don’t recommend using canned peas because their taste will be too strong for this pesto recipe.
Recipe for Rigatoni with Pea Pesto
For 4 servings you need the following ingredients.
Ingredients
For the pea pesto
- 200 g spinach, fresh
- 200 g peas, frozen
- 50 g of parmesan
- 30 g almonds
- 1 handful of basil leaves
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1/2 lemon
- 60 ml olive oil
- Salt and pepper
For the pasta
- 400 g rigatoni
- 100 g peas, frozen
- 2 tablespoons ricotta cheese
- Salt and pepper
Preparation
Cook the rigatoni in boiling water as directed on the package. Set aside 10 cl of pasta cooking water taken at the end of cooking.
In a saucepot, sauté the frozen peas with the chopped garlic clove and a dash of olive oil. After about 5 minutes, add the spinach. You can add a little water to the bottom of the pan so that the vegetables don’t stick.
Once the peas are cooked, pour the peas, spinach and garlic into a blender. Remove excess water beforehand if there is too much. Then add the parmesan, basil, almonds, olive oil and the juice of half a lemon. Add salt and pepper.
Blend until you get a homogeneous sauce. Then add some of the cooking water and mix again. Depending on the desired consistency, you can add more or less pasta water.
In the still saucepot, sauté the peas for decoration until they are cooked but still crunchy.
Mix the pasta with the pesto and a few peas and serve with a spoonful of ricotta cheese, a final drizzle of olive oil and some lemon juice.
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Rigatoni with Pea Pesto
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Equipment
Ingredients
For the pea pesto
- 200 g spinach fresh
- 200 g peas frozen
- 50 g of parmesan
- 30 g almonds
- 1 handful of basil leaves
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1/2 lemon
- 60 ml olive oil
- Salt and pepper
For the pasta
- 400 g rigatoni
- 100 g peas frozen
- 2 tablespoons ricotta cheese
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Cook the rigatoni in boiling water as directed on the package. Set aside 10 cl of pasta cooking water taken at the end of cooking.
- In a saucepot, sauté the frozen peas with the chopped garlic clove and a dash of olive oil. After about 5 minutes, add the spinach. You can add a little water to the bottom of the pan so that the vegetables don’t stick.
- Once the peas are cooked, pour the peas, spinach and garlic into a blender. Remove excess water beforehand if there is too much. Then add the parmesan, basil, almonds, olive oil and the juice of half a lemon. Add salt and pepper.
- Blend until you get a homogeneous sauce. Then add some of the cooking water and mix again. Depending on the desired consistency, you can add more or less pasta water.
- In the still saucepot, sauté the peas for decoration until they are cooked but still crunchy.
- Mix the pasta with the pesto and a few peas and serve with a spoonful of ricotta cheese, a final drizzle of olive oil and some lemon juice.
