Pasta, Pesto, and Peas

Yum Yum Yum! If you have a potluck to go to or you're making dinner for a crowd (this feeds 12) this is the way to go! The ingredients are all reasonably priced, so it makes for a wonderful potluck dish. I made this for the girls at our annual gift exchange and it was perfect. We all had a bit with the other dishes that were brought (a wonderful salad from Meg & Kelsey and great cookies from Courtney & Ashley) and then still were able to take some away for our lunches the next day. This would also be great with chicken if you are craving some meat in your pasta/main dish. You can make the pesto or also buy store bought - Kelsey S. recommends Trader Joe's Pesto (she says it's amazing).

Man....I sorta want to make this again tonight! Enjoy!

Pasta, Pesto, and Peas
from Ina Garten

3/4 lb. Fusilli Pasta
3/4 lb. Bow Tie Pasta
1/4 cup EVOO
1 1/2 cups Pesto (see below for a home-made Pesto recipe)
1 (10 oz.) package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
3 tbsp. lemon juice
1 1/4 cup Mayonnaise
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, defrosted
1/3 cup Pine Nuts
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. black pepper

1. Cook the fusilli and bow ties seperately in a large pot of boiling salted water. Drain and toss into a bowl with the Olive Oil. Cool to room temperature.

2. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, puree the pesto, spinach, and lemon juice. Add the mayonnaise and puree.

3. Add the pesto mixture to the cooled pasta and then add the Parmesan, peas, pine nuts, salt and pepper. Serve!

Homemade Pesto
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup pine nuts
3 tbsp. chopped garlic (9 cloves)
5 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 1/2 cups EVOO
1 cup grated Parmesan

1. Place the walnuts, pine nuts, and garlic in a food processor for 15 seconds.

2. Add the Basil leaves, salt and pepper.

3. With the processor running, slowly pour in the EVOO and process until pureed.

4. Add the Parmesan and puree for a minute. Use right away.