Judy Pasta
Sometimes the best meals come from not knowing what on earth you’re going to make for dinner. You want something yummy, fresh, and healthy – but you don’t want to go to the store – so you try to make the best of what you have in the fridge and pantry. You throw things together and maybe magic happens. That’s what happened with this recipe.
Judy made this once, many years ago, and it has been in regular rotation since. It’s so easy to make and takes very little time. All you need are pasta, fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano, EVOO, pine nuts and fresh basil. You can substitute other Italian hard cheese and fresh oregano instead of basil (or a little of both!), if you prefer. We like to use fresh pasta when we can find it but dried pasta works well, too.
Toast pine nuts.
Prep ingredients.
Toss all together.
Judy Pasta
- 12 oz dried basil fettucine
- 3 tbsp raw pine nuts
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- ¼ cup basil chiffonade, plus more for finishing
Toast pine nuts in a large, heavy saucepan until just golden. Set aside. Rinse out saucepan and use it to prepare pasta according to package directions, cooking pasta until al dente. While the pasta is cooking, grate the cheese and prepare the basil (I use kitchen shears to cut my basil but a chef’s knife works just fine). Drain the pasta and place back in the pot. Toss with olive oil, ¼ cup basil and ¼ cup of cheese. Place the pasta in bowls and top with remaining basil, cheese and pine nuts.
Note: In summertime, we add a half-pint of sliced cherry tomatoes fresh from the garden.
Serves two generously.