Ingredients
- 15
- clovesgarlic, peeled
- 1/3
- cuplightly packed fresh basil leaves
- 1
- pounddried fusilli, gemelli, or tagliatelle pasta
- 1/2
- cupolive oil
- 1/3
- cuppine nuts, toasted
- 2
- tablespoonsfinely shredded Pecorino Romano cheese (1/2 ounce)
- 3/4
- teaspoonsea salt
- 1/8
- teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper
- 1
- cupsmall fresh basil leaves
- 1/4
- cupfinely shredded Pecorino Romano cheese (1 ounce)
Directions
-
In a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven, cook garlic cloves in a large amount of boiling salted water for 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer garlic to a blender. Add the 1/3 cup basil leaves to the boiling water and cook for 5 seconds; remove with slotted spoon and drain well on paper towels. (Do not drain boiling water.) Add basil to blender.
-
Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package directions. Before draining pasta, remove 1/2 cup of the hot cooking water and set aside. Drain pasta; return to Dutch oven.
-
Meanwhile, for pesto: Add oil, 2 tablespoons of the pine nuts, the 2 tablespoons cheese, the salt, and pepper to blender. Cover and blend until nearly smooth (pesto will be thin).
-
Add pesto to cooked pasta; toss gently to coat. If necessary, toss in enough of the reserved cooking water to help coat the pasta evenly with pesto. Transfer pasta mixture to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with the 1 cup basil leaves, the 1/4 cup cheese, and the remaining pine nuts. Serve immediately.* Makes 6 to 8 servings.