Description
A creamy decadent pesto sauce that fulfills your need for veggies, nuts and cheese, all in one sitting.
Scale
Ingredients
10 asparagus stalks, the wooden ends cut off
2 packed cups of basil
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tbsp. pine nuts
2 tbsp. shelled pistachio
1 tbsp. garlic, roughly chopped
1 tbsp. salt (for pasta water) + 1/4 tsp. (for pesto)
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup kashkaval or gruyere cheese, grated
8 oz. dried pappardelle
Water for boiling pasta
Instructions
Making the Pesto:
- Blanch the asparagas in boiling water for 3-4 mins. When you remove them from the water, they should be a bright green color. Chop them into 1 cm. cylinders and set aside. It should be roughly two cups.
- While the asparagrus is blanching, heat 1 tsp. oil in a pan for 2 mins. Roast the garlic pieces, approximately 1 min. Set aside.
- Assemble the following ingredients in a food processor or blender: 2 packed cups basil, 2 cups chopped asparagus, 1 tbsp. roasted garlic, 2 tbsp. pine nuts, 2 tbsp. pistachio, 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper.
- Blend, streaming in the olive oil as you do so. If you are using a blender and can’t stream in the olive oil, then start by adding 1/8 cup olive oil. Every 30-45 secs., stop the blender, pour in another 1/8 cup oil and continue blending until all the olive oil is used up.
- Blend to a smooth consistency–it should be between a puree and a paste.
- Taste and adjust for seasoning.
Making Creamy Fondue:
- Heat 1 cup heavy cream on med or med.-low heat for 3 mins.
- Start adding the cheese–a few tablespoons each time–and whisking at the same time. You want to ensure there are no cheese lumps at the bottom of the pan. Keep the heat fairly low.
- Continue whisking and adding cheese until you have a fondue-like texture, approximately 4-5 mins.
Pairing Pasta With Pesto and Fondue:
- Add 1 tbsp. salt to 4-5 cups water. Bring to a gentle rolling boil.
- Add 8 oz pappardelle to the water and cook as per instructions, approximately 12 mins. for me.
- Strain the pasta, reserving 4-5 tbsps. of the pasta water.
- 2-3 mins. before the pasta is done, heat the pesto in a pan on low heat.
- As soon as the pasta is strained, drop it in the pan with the pesto. Mix to coat pasta thoroughly with the pesto.
- Slowly, drizzle in fondue.
- Add the reserved pasta water (4-5 tbsp.) Mix thoroughly and heat for 2 mins on low heat.
- TTurn off the stove. Taste and adjust seasoning (salt or pepper if necessary).
- Serve Pappardelle in Creamy Pesto!
Notes
- If the sauce is heavy for you, use half the amount of cheese or use same amount of cheese but substitute milk for heavy cream. The pasta is still delicious, though lighter in feel and taste.
- Any cheese low in moisture is good–gruyere, fontina, gouda, emmenthal.
- If you are vegan, leave the cheese and milk out. Instead, increase the amount of pistachio to 4-5 tbsps. Follow all recipe steps, except addition of cream and cheese. It’s still yummy. Pistachio has a natural creaminess that is pleasing all on its own.
- Nutrition Facts for Pesto:
- Servings: 6, Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 183
- Total Fat: 19.5g (25%), Saturated Fat: 2.6g (13%), Cholestrol: 0mg (0%), Sodium: 105mg (5%), Carbohydrates: 3.2g (1%), Dietary Fibre: 1.4g (5%), Total Sugars: 1.1g, Protein: 2g
- Nutrition Facts for Creamy Pesto Sauce:
- Servings: 6, Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 328
- Total Fat: 33.1 (42%), Saturated Fat: 11.2g (56%), Cholestrol: 47mg (16%), Sodium: 230mg (10%), Carbohydrates: 4g (1%), Dietary Fibre: 1.4g (5%), Total Sugars: 1.2g, Protein: 7.1g
- Nutrition Facts for Creamy Pesto Sauce With Pappardelle: See below.
- Category: Lunch
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 595
- Sugar: 2.5
- Sodium: 263
- Fat: 35.8
- Saturated Fat: 11.9
- Carbohydrates: 54.7
- Fiber: 4.1
- Protein: 17.7
- Cholesterol: 194
Keywords: pasta, asparagus pasta, pistachio, vegan pasta, vegetarian pasta, italian, pesto, asparagus pesto, pistachio pesto, basil pesto, creamy sauce, cheese sauce, creamy pesto sauce