Pasta Portofino Recipe from Liguria.
User Reviews
5.0
63 reviews
Excellent
-
Prep Time
30 mins
-
Cook Time
30 mins
-
Servings
4
-
Calories
645 kcal
-
Course
Side Dish, Main Course
-
Cuisine
Mediterranean, Italian
Pasta Portofino Recipe from Liguria.
Report
If you like basil pesto, you’ll love this pasta Portofino (or alla Portofino) recipe which pairs pesto with tomatoes. A simple easy-to-make vegetarian recipe full of Italian summer flavours.
Share:
Ingredients
- 400 g tagliolini pasta (14oz) or other pasta of your choice
For homemade pesto
- 4 handfuls fresh basil leaves 60-70 g preferably young leaves
- 30 g pine nuts (1oz)
- 60 g Parmigiano Reggiano (2oz) grated or vegetarian parmesan.
- 60 g Pecorino sardo (2oz) grated (double parmigiano (4oz) if not available or use pecorino romano)
- 2-3 pinches coarse sea salt
- 1-2 garlic cloves peeled
- extra virgin olive oil. as required
For tomato sauce
- 400 g cherry tomatoes (14oz) washed and halved
- 1 cup tomato passata or chopped tomatoes
- 1-2 garlic cloves peeled
- 2-3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil.
- salt for pasta and to taste
- freshly ground black pepper. to taste
Instructions
Make basil pesto
- If it’s possible, choose medium sized young basil leaves (brighter green). Rinse the leaves under water and dry them with paper towels.
- Basil pesto the traditional way. Peel the garlic cloves and put them into a mortar with pine nuts. Grind until you have a paste Then add some basil leaves, and a little coarse sea salt, and 3 tablespoon of olive oil. Keep working with the pestle, while continuing to add more basil leaves and olive oil until the pesto is smooth. Finally, transfer to a bowl, add the cheeses and stir well.
- Using a blender/food processor. Put all the ingredients in the blender and pulse a few seconds at a time until you have the right consistency. Add olive oil as required. Don’t keep pulsing for too long at once as the blender will heat up and this can spoil the basil.
Make the tomato sauce.
- Sauté peeled garlic cloves in olive oil. Remove the garlic (if you wish) add cherry tomato halves and cook until they are well softened. Add passata, salt and pepper to taste and simmer for 10-15 minutes. When the tomato sauce is ready, add 3-4 tablespoons of pesto, mix together and simmer for 5-10 minutes.
Finish and serve.
- Put a pot of water on to boil for the pasta, add salt once it starts to boil and bring to the boil again. Cook the pasta al dente according to the instructions on the packet. My fresh tagliolini only took 2 minutes!
- Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce. Mix well and serve immediately with some fresh basil leaves and extra cheese if required.
Notes
- You can use many types of pasta for this recipe. Long pasta like spaghetti or linguine, short pasta like penne, fusilli, trofie or rigatoni and even gnocchi.
- When made with short pasta, this recipe makes a delicious side dish for seafood!
- To make this recipe vegetarian, you’ll need to use a vegetarian cheese. As many strict vegetarians will know, Italian Parmigiano and Pecorino are made with animal rennet and therefore, not vegetarian.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
645kcal
(32%)
Carbohydrates
87g
(29%)
Protein
26g
(52%)
Fat
22g
(34%)
Saturated Fat
7g
(35%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
4g
Monounsaturated Fat
9g
Cholesterol
26mg
(9%)
Sodium
649mg
(27%)
Potassium
799mg
(23%)
Fiber
5g
(20%)
Sugar
9g
(18%)
Vitamin A
1095IU
(22%)
Vitamin C
30mg
(33%)
Calcium
388mg
(39%)
Iron
4mg
(22%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 645 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 645kcal | 32% |
| Carbohydrates | 87g | 29% |
| Protein | 26g | 52% |
| Fat | 22g | 34% |
| Saturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 4g | 24% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 9g | 45% |
| Cholesterol | 26mg | 9% |
| Sodium | 649mg | 27% |
| Potassium | 799mg | 17% |
| Fiber | 5g | 20% |
| Sugar | 9g | 18% |
| Vitamin A | 1095IU | 22% |
| Vitamin C | 30mg | 33% |
| Calcium | 388mg | 39% |
| Iron | 4mg | 22% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5.0
63 reviews
Excellent
Other Recipes
You'll Also Love
