Trofie with rocket (arugula) pesto
User Reviews
5
-
Prep Time
10 mins
-
Cook Time
15 mins
-
Total Time
25 mins
-
Servings
4
-
Calories
631 kcal
-
Course
Side Dish, Main Course
-
Cuisine
Mediterranean, Italian
Trofie with rocket (arugula) pesto
Description
Trofie with rocket (arugula) pesto blends fresh rocket leaves with garlic, toasted pine nuts, and grated Grana cheese into a lively pesto sauce. The sauce achieves its ideal texture by adding olive oil gradually and adjusting it with pasta cooking water if needed. The trofie pasta, or other similar short pasta shapes, are cooked al dente and tossed with the pesto to evenly coat each piece. This dish offers a distinctive earthy and slightly peppery taste from the rocket, complemented by the nuttiness of toasted pine nuts and the savory depth of cheese. The preparation is straightforward, relying on a food processor for the sauce and boiling water for the pasta.
The pesto can also serve multiple uses: as a dip, a spread on toasted bread, a pizza topping, or dolloped onto baked potatoes, making it versatile beyond the pasta dish. Incorporating cherry tomatoes or ricotta can modify the flavor and texture for different applications. Proper storage involves keeping the pesto in the refrigerator in a glass container covered with olive oil to avoid oxidation, which maintains its color and flavor for up to a week. Toasted pine nuts add brightness and crunch to the sauce but must be monitored closely to prevent burning.
Ingredients
- 4-6 handfuls rocket you can also substitute half the leaves with spinach, washed, or basil leaves, 60-70g
- 50 g Grana cheese grated (vegetarians will need to use a vegetarian parmesan, or parmigiano cheese, 2oz
- 1-2 garlic peeled and chopped, cloves
- 5-6 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil you may need more
- 30 g pine nuts you can also use walnuts or almonds, toasted, 1oz
- salt for pasta and to taste
- black pepper to taste, freshly ground
- 400 g Trofie pasta trenette, fusilli, short maccheroni, gnocchi and spaghetti also go well, 14oz
Instructions
- Place the washed rocket or basil leaves into a food processor with the garlic and a little olive oil and pulse a few times.
- Add the toasted pine nuts and grated cheese, season with pepper and salt as required and pulse one or twice again.
- Remove from the food processor and more olive oil if necessary to get the consistency you require.
- Put a pan of water on to boil for the pasta. Add salt once the water starts to boil (boiling the water whilst making the sauce will save time later).
- When the water starts to boil again, add the pasta and cook al dente according to the instructions on the packet. (fresh pasta takes less time to cook than dried pasta)
- Save a cup of pasta cooking water, drain the pasta and return to the pan. Add the pesto. Mix the pasta and pesto together. Add pasta cooking water if the sauce seems dry.
- Alternatively, put the pesto in a deep frying pan, add some pasta cooking water to make it more liquid and then add the drained pasta. Mix the pasta and sauce together well and serve with extra grated cheese if desired.
Notes
- Toast pine nuts in a dry pan for a couple of minutes, watching carefully so they don’t burn.
- To keep pesto fresh, store in a glass container with a thin layer of olive oil on top to prevent air exposure, refrigerate up to one week, or freeze for longer storage.
- For variations, mix ricotta into the pesto for fillings or add halved cherry tomatoes for a fresh touch.
- The pesto can also be used as a dip, on toasted bread, as a pizza topping, or served with baked potatoes.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 631 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 631kcal | 32% |
| Carbohydrates | 77g | 26% |
| Protein | 19g | 38% |
| Fat | 28g | 43% |
| Saturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 5g | 29% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 15g | 75% |
| Cholesterol | 9mg | 3% |
| Sodium | 212mg | 9% |
| Potassium | 356mg | 8% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 3g | 6% |
| Vitamin A | 574IU | 11% |
| Vitamin C | 3mg | 3% |
| Calcium | 204mg | 20% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
You'll Also Love
