For me, the hardest part of this recipe is getting the small food processor down from the top shelf in the kitchen. This is a meat-free recipe, but I’ll bet that if you are a carnivore, topping it with crumbled bacon before serving would work well.
Sauté a small bag of pine nuts, 2-4 ounces, until light golden in color. Meanwhile, microwave a 10-ounce bag of green peas. In your food processor or blender, combine the pine nuts, half the peas, ¼ cup of packed basil, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, ¼ to ½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, and a tablespoon of water. Grind it all up to a paste, then drizzle in 1/3 cup olive oil.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil, and add 12 ounces of curly lasagna, broken into two to three-inch pieces. I just take each lasagna noodle and break it twice for three pieces per noodle; any smaller and they shatter. When the noodles are done, reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid, drain, and set aside.
Mix the reserved pasta water with the pesto-like sauce you’ve made, until it is smooth and easily spooned. Combine the pasta and the sauce, toss to coat.
To serve, plate with the remaining peas sprinkled on top, along with additional Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Garnish with a few extra basil leaves and a dollop or two of ricotta cheese.
Start to finish time? About a half hour to 45 minutes, depending on how well you manage your food processing. Should you make this? Sure, it is a nice change from marinara-style sauces.
PS: I have been told that there are no pockets in this pasta. However, the curly edges and almost square shape of the pasta forms shallow pockets to hold the sauce.
I actually threw roasted pine nuts on the mushroom-spinach tortellini dish from a few weeks ago. Worked very well.
This looks like another good one that I will be trying.
Excellent! And really, roasted pine nuts are a very good thing! I keep pine nuts and capers “in stock” in the larder, because adding either to any dish just fancies it right up.
I will be saving this recipe until the Spring, when the peas get harvested from the garden.
Of course you have peas in your enviable garden. I guarantee that your version with the fresh veg will be far superior!
Sweet peas and snow peas, my dear. We stir fry the snow peas with the cabbage.
*replaces peas with runner beans*
what can i say…runner beans are my go to green things (i have issues with peas…mostly that the little bastards wont stay on my fork)
ill be making this one when i eventually move out
missus is allergic to pine nuts…and i guess i dont want to kill her (what can i say… im a big softy)
Runner beans will work! (And maybe almonds in lieu of pine nuts?)
hmmm almonds
been a long time since ive used those
sounds like a plan 🙂
Ellie, can I move in with you and Keitel? You guys eat good!
We have room on the third floor, would love to have you!