I’m just learning that one can make pesto with many different ingredients other than basil. Pesto originated in Liguria Italy. Traditionally, pesto is made with basil, pine nuts, olive oil, garlic and pecorino cheese. In modern times, chefs have morphed this delicious sauce to inlcude different ingredients such as peas.
Today is a scortcher of a day. Temps are in the 90’s! Here in NYC, it can be 90 degrees but feel like 100.
I rolled out the air conditioner from storage and brrrrrrrr! Just how I like it. If my apartment doesn’t feel like a walk-in freezer, it’s not cold enough.
So, no cooking today. Well, just the fusilli and that’s it! Everything else is cold cold cold!
I love this pasta because to me, it is more hardy and so delicious cold. Long fusilli tossed with a fresh sweet pea pesto sauce, cherry tomatoes, asparagus, mozzarella balls and basil chiffonade.
Easy peasy! (See what I did there?)
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Sweet Pea Pesto Pasta Salad
- Prep Time: 20 Minutes
- Cook Time: 10-15 Minutes
- Total Time: 35 Minutes
- Yield: 10 Cups 1x
Description
A fresh cold long fusilli pasta salad. With fresh sweet pea pesto sauce, asparagus, vine tomatoes, mozzerella ciliegine, and basil chiffonade.
Ingredients
What you will need
- large pot for boiling water
- medium saute pan
- strainer
- large mixing bowl
- tongs
- sharp knife
- cutting board
The Pesto
- 1 cup fresh or frozen green sweet peas
- 1 small clove garlic
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- salt and pepper
The Pasta Salad
- 16 ounces dry long fusillu pasta
- 8 ounces Ciliegine BelGioioso Mozzarella
- 9–10 thick asparagus stalks
- 9 onces cherry tomatoes on the vine, whole
- chiffonade a hand full of fresh basil leaves
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 lemon
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot filled water and 2 tablespoons of salt, to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Strain and rinse with cold water to halt the cooking. Set aside.
- Cut the asparagus in 2-3 inch pieces, and removing the woody ends.
- Add two tablespoons of olive to a saute pan and saute the asparagus until slightly softened but still firm. You’ll want to cook them just enough to penetrate the outer surface. You don’t want the asparagus to be soft or mushy. Tip: Add a few table spoons of water to the pan and quickly cover to flash steam them. The saute should only take only a few minutes. Remove from heat and place asparagus on a plate. Set aside.
- Add the pesto ingredients to a small food processor and mix until it becomes a paste. Add more olive oil if too thick.
- Toss the pasta and pesto together in a large mixing bowl. Seasoning as you go along. Remember the pasta water should be well salted. So you wont need to add too much more salt.
- Toss in the rinsed vine cherry tomatos, mozarella balls and asparagus.
- Add the juice of one lemon and drizzle with olive oil.
- Scatter basil chiffonade over the top. Season to taste.
- ENJOY!
Notes
- To chiffonade the basil, roll up 3-4 large leaves and chop across creating ribbons of chopped basil.
- It’s traditional to salt your pasta water like the ocean, but if you need low sodium, you can skip that step and salt later.
- Category: Salads
- Method: Assmble
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: Sweet Pea Pesto Pasta Salad
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