Pasta with a pesto of broccoli en
spinach
Preparation time
30 minutes
Servings:
2
Level:
Makkelijk
2. Primi
Menu course
It’s been really hot in Italy for a few weeks now, so I’m craving vegetables, fresh pasta dishes, salads, and things like that! So this is the perfect meal for hot days and ideal because you can customize it to suit anyone's taste!
I choosed for a broccoli and spinach pesto, but you can easily swap that for any other vegetable. Just pick your favorite vegetable and get cooking! I also used guanciale, but you can easily leave it out to keep the dish vegetarian. Prefer it vegan? That works too! This dish is even highly recommended without the Grana Padano.
Cuciniamo!
Ingredients
160 g pasta (your choice; short pasta works best)
120 g guanciale
1/4 onion
Broccoli (to taste)
Spinach (to taste)
Pine nuts (to taste)
Grana Padano
Salt
Pepper
Preparation
Remove the tough outer part of the guanciale and cut it into small strips. Fry the strips in a pan without adding oil (the meat releases enough fat on its own). Once the guanciale is crispy, transfer it to a paper towel to drain, but keep the rendered fat in the pan.
Cook the broccoli and the pasta (in separate pots) until tender.
Once the broccoli is cooked, purée it together with the spinach, pine nuts, onion, pepper, and salt. Taste as you go and adjust the pesto to how you like it! The first time I made this, the puréeing didn't go perfectly, leaving some chunky bits of broccoli. Now, I actually preferred that texture, so that’s how I make it, but if you want a completely smooth sauce, simply keep blending!
Warm the purée in the reserved guanciale fat and add a splash of pasta water until it starts to take on a sauce-like consistency. Once the sauce is hot and the pasta is cooked, stir everything together and divide among plates. Finish with some Grana Padano and the crispy guanciale.
Buon Appetito!