SUMMERTIME PESTO PASTA

To me, this Summertime Pesto Pasta is the quintessential spring/summer, fresh from the garden, mouth-watering, warm-weather meal. The zing of the lemon juice, the burst of freshness from the uncooked baby tomatoes, and the creamy, salty, savory, nutty, sweetness, from the pesto. I often make this in big batches and eat the leftovers cold the next day. This dish is delicious hot or cold, but it’s always best when it’s super fresh. You can always buy pesto in a jar from the store, but it doesn’t come close to comparing to homemade. When making pesto, there are a few things you simply cannot skimp on. Yes, it can add a little extra cost, but the finished product is well worth it.

First, fresh basil is a must, you get a completely different flavor from dried, and your pesto will be dry and brown — not at all appealing.

Second, go big or go home with your cheese. Not all Parmigiano is the same! If the label says “Parmesan Cheese,” it’s safe to say it’s not the real kind. Kroger, Safeway, Costco, Wal-Mart, Publix, etc., sell parmesan cheese, but it’s not the good stuff. The pre-grated stuff is no good, and I have yet to find real quality Parmigiano-Reggiano at any of these places. If you want a delicious pesto, splurge and go to Whole Foods for your cheese. They sell real Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano in blocks of all different sizes, and the stuff is TO-DIE-FOR! It’s totally worth it, trust me.

Lastly, play around with your pesto. Some people like it blended until entirely smooth and paste-like, whereas I like mine a little chunkier and less blended. I love the crunch of the little morsels of pine-nuts and the appearance of the little bits of leafy greens on the noodles. There is no wrong way to do it, so play around and see what feels best to you.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups fresh basil leaves (no stems)
• 2 cups fresh arugula
• 4 tablespoons pine nuts (you can do 2 tbs pine nuts & 2 tbs walnuts if desired)
• 6–8 large cloves garlic
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil (more if needed for desired consistency)
• ¾ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (½ cup in the pesto & ¼ cup for topping the pasta)
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2–3 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
• 2–3 cups of penne or penne rigate pasta (or desired amount)
• 2–3 cups baby tomatoes; preferably heirloom/multi-colored for presentation
• 1 large bunch of asparagus

PESTO PREPARATION

1. Combine fresh basil leaves, fresh arugula, pine nuts, and 4 or 5 large garlic cloves in a food processor and process until finely minced.
2. With the machine running slowly dribble in the olive oil and process until the mixture is mostly smooth.
3. Add the cheese, salt, pepper, and lemon juice and process briefly, just long enough to combine.

Taste and play with the flavor until it’s just right. I usually end up adding a little more salt, but you want to start with less and slowly add more. You don’t want to make it too salty.

PASTA PREPARATION

1. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add pasta (penne works best to allow the pesto to cling to the ridges of the noodle) and cook for 9 to 11 minutes or until al dente; reserve ½ cup of the pasta water for the pesto sauce; drain.
2. Lightly pound chicken breasts to about ¾ inch thickness; lightly salt and pepper both sides and grill or pan-fry until cooked through.
3. Cut cooked chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
4. Cut baby tomatoes in half and set aside.
5. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of EVOO; add 2 cloves of garlic, sliced thin, and begin to brown — about 1 minute.
6. Snap or break the bottom ends off of your asparagus; you can feel the hard, inedible bit at the bottom, and it should snap off easily; discard bottoms.
7. Cut the asparagus into 1 ½ inch pieces and add to your large skillet with the garlic and oil; cook on low heat until asparagus is browning; reduce heat.
8. Pour hot drained pasta and reserved pasta water into the skillet with your asparagus, add chicken pieces, and stir until combined.
9. Pour pesto sauce over your skillet and gently fold into the pasta; add tomato slices & remaining parmesan cheese; salt and pepper to taste.
10. Gently fold and mix until everything is well coated in the pesto and remove from heat.

Serve & Enjoy!

Let me know what you think in the comments below!