Trenette al Pesto
Ribbons of dried trenette pasta tossed with classic Genoese basil pesto, tender potato slices, and fresh green beans.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 12 min
- Total
- 32 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 590 kcal
Equipment
- •Marble mortar and wooden pestle
- •Large stockpot
- •Colander
- •Large ceramic mixing bowl
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 590 kcal
- fat
- 24 g
- carbs
- 74 g
- fibre
- 6 g
- protein
- 18 g
- calories
- 590 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Pound the garlic and a pinch of coarse sea salt in a mortar until creamy.
- 2
Add the pine nuts and crush them into a thick, pale paste.
- 3
Add the basil leaves gradually, rotating the pestle against the sides until finely ground.
- 4
Stir in the grated Parmigiano Reggiano and Pecorino Fiore Sardo.
- 5
Drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil gradually while stirring until glossy and emulsified.
- 6
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil.
- 7
Add the sliced potatoes and cook for three minutes.
- 8
Add the green beans and trenette into the boiling water with the potatoes.
- 9
Boil until the pasta is al dente and vegetables are tender, about nine minutes.
- 10
Reserve two tablespoons of cooking water, then drain the pasta and vegetables.
- 11
Transfer everything to a warm mixing bowl, add the pesto and reserved water, and toss gently.
Chef's tips
Never cook or heat pesto directly in a hot pan, as heat blackens the basil and ruins its fresh aroma. Gentle circular motions with the wooden pestle against the mortar wall bruise the basil rather than chopping it, releasing essential oils without bitterness. Adding starchy pasta water loosens the cold sauce into a silky coating.
Ingredient substitutions
- trenette → linguine or bavette
- Pecorino Fiore Sardo PDO → additional Parmigiano Reggiano PDO or Pecorino Romano
- mortar and pestle → brief pulses in a chilled food processor
Storage
Keep leftover dressed pasta refrigerated in an airtight container for up to one day.
Reheating
Eat cold or bring gently to room temperature, as reheating will degrade the pesto flavour.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Heating the pesto in a pan before dressing the pasta.
- •Boiling the vegetables separately instead of in the pasta water.
- •Using aggressive, bitter olive oil that overpowers the delicate young basil.
Serving suggestions
Cooked Trenette al Pesto?
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