Every time I make this pesto, I think about how I need to measure out the ingredients so I can add it to my blog. But here’s the thing: When I make this pesto, I’m almost always in a hurry. I’m rushing because we played outside as long as possible or went on a nature walk, and we’re all hungry.
And while making this yesterday, I realized I never will measure out the ingredients. Why? Because I don’t need to. This is one of those non-recipe recipes that doesn’t need to be exact. It doesn’t matter if you have the perfect amount of peas or cheese. It doesn’t matter if you only have parsley (as I did) or if it’s summer and you have a huge basil plant in your yard.
We all need non-recipes like this. We need recipes that are flexible and quick and use staples that you probably have on hand. And so for that reason, I’m not going to give you exact measurements. I’m going to walk you through what I do, and let you make it your own.
When I made this yesterday, I used pennoni lisci but I have found this pesto works with a lot of different pasta shapes. Use what you have.
The Method
Start by thawing some frozen peas (about 1 ½ cups, give or take). I just place the peas in a bowl, cover them with water and stick them in the microwave for 3 minutes or so but any method works here.
Once your peas are thawed and slightly cooled, put them in a food processor and add a handful or two of fresh parsley or basil (or both), 3 green onions (chopped), 1 clove of garlic (sliced), a small handful or two of pecorino cheese (really the amount is truly up to you. You can even skip the cheese, if you rather it be vegan), the zest of a lemon, a large pinch of salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Drizzle in some extra virgin olive oil (a few drizzles will do the trick), and pulse everything together.
By this point you should be boiling your pasta in salted water. Cook the pasta according to the time on the package. While your pasta boils, scoop about ½ a cup of pasta water and add it to the food processor. Puree everything until smooth. Taste and see if it needs more of anything.
When the pasta is al dente, drain and toss with the pesto. Serve immediately.
And that’s it. That’s all there is to it. I often boil green beans in the same pot before adding the pasta, just to keep everything to one pot, but any veggie cooked or raw goes well with the pasta.
Don’t be afraid to switch things up. Try feta instead of pecorino. Add more garlic or less green onion. Play and make it your own!
A non-recipe recipe for those days when you need pasta in a hurry. Start by thawing some frozen peas (about 1 ½ cups, give or take). I just place the peas in a bowl, cover them with water and stick them in the microwave for 3 minutes or so but any method works here. Once your peas are thawed and slightly cooled, put them in a food processor and add a handful or two of fresh parsley or basil (or both), 3 green onions (chopped), 1 clove of garlic (sliced), a small handful or two of pecorino cheese (really the amount is truly up to you. You can even skip the cheese, if you rather it be vegan), the zest of a lemon, a large pinch of salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Drizzle in some olive oil (a few drizzles will do the trick), and pulse everything together. By this point you should be boiling your pasta in salted water. Cook the pasta according to the time on the package. While your pasta boils, scoop about ½ a cup of pasta water and add it to the food processor. Puree everything until smooth. Taste and see if it needs more of anything. When the pasta is al dente, drain and toss with the pesto. Serve immediately. Variations:
1) Use feta instead of pecorino
2) Use a mixture of parsley, basil, or even mint
3) Add red pepper flakes for heat
Pasta with Pea Pesto
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