Servings: 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 35 minuteskosher salt, to taste
8 ounces|250 grams good quality dry pasta quadrati (good quality spaghetti or bucatini would also work well)
½ cup|145 ml good quality olive oil
¾ cup|200 grams roughly chopped pistachios, plus ½ cup more for serving
2 ounces|50 grams picked spinach
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 small garlic clove
½ lemon, zested
3 ounces|80 grams picked fresh basil
⅓ cup|25 grams grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes
Ingredients
8 ounces|250 grams good quality dry pasta quadrati (good quality spaghetti or bucatini would also work well)
½ cup|145 ml good quality olive oil
¾ cup|200 grams roughly chopped pistachios, plus ½ cup more for serving
2 ounces|50 grams picked spinach
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 small garlic clove
½ lemon, zested
3 ounces|80 grams picked fresh basil
⅓ cup|25 grams grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook, stirring, until al dente, 10 minutes. Save 1 cup of pasta water.
- Place half of the olive oil, the pistachios, spinach, salt, garlic, and lemon zest in a blender and purée until smooth. Add in the remaining olive oil, the basil, and parmesan and blend until smooth.
- Cool the mixture down by filling a large bowl with iced water, with a smaller bowl resting on top. Pour the pesto into the top bowl.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pesto and the pasta and toss to coat the pasta. Stir in the pistachios and the pasta water, and maybe some olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Add some more pasta water if you need to and a glug of olive oil.
- Before serving, add freshly cracked black pepper and grate over Parmesan. Add more chopped pistachios, if you'd like.