Pesto Pasta Salad with Summer Vegetables
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 6-8
 
Ingredients
  • 1 pound (16 ounces) gemelli pasta
  • ¼ cup good olive oil
  • 1½ cups pesto (packaged or see recipe below)
  • 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
  • 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1¼ cups part-skim ricotta cheese
  • ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
  • 1 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1½ cups frozen peas, defrosted
  • ⅓ cup pignoli aka pine nuts (optional)
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
  1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water for 10 to 12 minutes until is al dente. Drain and toss into a bowl with the olive oil. Cool to room temperature.
  2. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, puree the pesto, spinach, and lemon juice. Add the ricotta cheese and puree. Add the pesto mixture to the cooled pasta and then add the Parmesan, peas, pine nuts, tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Mix well, season to taste, and serve at room temperature.
Recipe by In Good Taste at http://ingoodtaste.kitchen/pesto-pasta-salad-summer-vegetables/