Trofie with rocket (arugula) pesto
Trofie with rocket pesto is a fresh pasta dish combining peppery rocket leaves, toasted pine nuts, garlic, and Grana cheese blended into a vibrant green sauce. The pesto, made smooth by extra virgin olive oil, coats al dente trofie pasta, creating a herbaceous and slightly nutty flavor profile. The dish uses simple ingredients that highlight leafy greens as an alternative to basil, paired with the toasted nuts' crunch and a creamy cheese undertone. It's a practical way to enjoy a flavorful pasta, with options to adjust texture using pasta water or serve the pesto in multiple ways.
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
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4 Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 631
% 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.