Photo: Bow Ties with Pesto, Feta and Cherry Tomatoes Recipe
This is just one example of how a good pesto can be used so well in so many ways. People always rave about this combo and I can't blame 'em — it's one of those matches made in heaven. The pesto coats the warm pasta to make a creamy, rich sauce, which is accented by the crumbled feta and contrasted by the sweet and tart cherry tomatoes.
Ingredients
- 1 pound bow tie pasta (farfalle)
- 3/4 cup Pesto, recipe follows
- 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Olive oil, as needed
Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Stir in the bow ties and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain the pasta and run it under cold water just until it stops steaming. Bounce the pasta around to get rid of as much water as you can.
Dump the pasta into a large serving bowl. Stir in the pesto until the pasta is coated. Toss in the cherry tomatoes and the crumbled feta. Taste the salad and season it as you like with salt and pepper. You can make the salad up to about 1 hour before you serve it. Check out the salt and pepper just before you serve the salad. If it's looking a little dry, add some olive oil and stir it around.
Pesto:
5 big handfuls basil leaves (about 2 hefty bunches)
1/2 cup pine nuts or 3/4 cup walnuts
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese
Juice of 1 small lemon
2 cloves garlic, peeled
Kosher salt
About 20 grinds freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Place all ingredients with 1/2 cup of the oil in a blender and blend. Gradually drizzle in the remaining 1/4 cup of oil until pesto is thick and smooth.
Yield: about 1 1/2 cups
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By Al B Chef
on May 12, 2013
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This recipe is fantastic. Goes very well with beef kabobs.
By Candace27
on November 01, 2012
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I organized a Halloween potluck at work yesterday and decided to bring this pasta. In order to make this dish "spooky" I used thin spaghetti instead of bowtie and called it "Witch Hair with Monster Goo." I am not a big fan of cherry tomatoes so I used sundried instead. I also found a garlic & herb feta which complimented the pesto really well. So, all said, I guess this is really a rating for the pesto alone. I made the pesto exactly as written here and let me tell you-- it was so yummy! This was my first attempt at making my own pesto, and I was very, very pleased with the turn out. My coworkers all raved that the pasta was "SOOO GOOD" and most went back for seconds. Thanks Dave for a great pesto recipe!
By pookyloo
La Mesa, CA
on July 01, 2012
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Great! Delicious...simple recipe with all the flavors accenting one another. Even more simple if you already have pesto on hand. Easy recipe to remember and throw together during the summer. Highly recommended. I had pesto I had made earlier the week so I can't comment on his pesto, but the tomatoes and feta together is brilliant.
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