Photo: Three Vegetable Penne with Tarragon-Basil Pesto Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound penne or whole-wheat penne rigate pasta
- Salt
- 1/2 pound asparagus, trimmed of tough ends
- 1 small zucchini
- 2 handfuls, 1/4 pound, haricots verts (thin green beans) trimmed of stem ends
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 1 cup basil, 20 leaves
- 1/2 cup chopped tarragon leaves (10 to 12 stems)
- Handful flat-leaf parsley
- 1 lemon, zested
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, a couple of handfuls, plus more to pass at table
- Coarse black pepper
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, eyeball it
Directions
Heat a large pot of water to boil for pasta. Salt the water and add pasta to cook to al dente or, with a bite to it. Cut asparagus spears into 2 inch pieces on an angle. Cut zucchini into matchstick shapes. Cut haricots verts or green beans into 2-inch pieces on an angle. Add vegetables to pasta after penne has been cooking about 5 minutes. Cook veggies and pasta together 2 minutes.
While pasta cooks, toast pine nuts in a small pan until golden, then cool. Place nuts, basil, tarragon, parsley, lemon zest, garlic, cheese and a little salt and pepper in a food processor. Turn the processor on and stream in the extra-virgin olive oil until thick sauce forms.
Scrape pesto into large, shallow serving dish. Add a ladle of hot, starchy pasta water to the pesto. Drain penne and veggies and add immediately to pesto. Toss to coat pasta and vegetables evenly. Adjust salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with extra grated cheese to pass at table.
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By elaineleith
Oceanside, CA
on June 11, 2013
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I couldn't add the cheese since my hubby is lactose intolerant so I gave it three instead of two stars. This is kind of sour or bitter with or without cheese. I am looking at adding something like cream but I can't do that due to my hubby.
By daneroo
Fargo
on August 18, 2011
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This recipe was really delicious! I did make a few changes based on previous reviews. I put in about half of the amount of tarragon, which seemed to be the perfect amount, and made up for it by adding in a little bit more basil. I used 3 garlic cloves, since I LOVE garlic, and I did use the zest of a whole lemon plus some of the juice. It was not too lemony for me. Also, since it is late summer, I substituted halved cherry tomatoes for the asparagus and used both yellow squash and zucchini. For me, it was not an expensive recipe, as I had zucchini and all of the herbs in my garden. Picked up cherry tomatoes and green beans at the farmers market. I added more veggies than the recipe called for, which really bulked it up and I was able to take it to work for a few days. If eating at as leftovers, it is best to heat it up for just a minute in the microwave or set it out ahead of time to let it come to room temperature. It turned out really great and I will definitely be making it again!
By christine2880_1...
cincinnati, 75
on February 17, 2011
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Great! Used dried Tarragon b/c couldn't find fresh in the winter and used regular green beans. Cooked the pasta with the veggies longer than recommended until they were tender. Enjoyed very much!
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