SPRING GREEN PESTO WITH LINGUINI

For a quick pasta sauce, pesto is one of my favorites. Although often made with basil, changing up the herb component brings bright variety to the garlicky sauce. This version—with parsley, cilantro, lemon, and pistachio, is a delicious combination. As with any pesto, you can add a bit more (or less) garlic to alter the pungency.

I like this pesto tossed with linguini, but it also works well with gemelli, fusilli, cavatappi, or other little pasta spirals which cling tightly to the sauce in their corkscrew curls. The recipe makes a full two-cups of pesto, enough for two meals. (1 cup of pesto per 1 pound of pasta.) Refrigerate, or freeze the rest of the pesto for round two.

Pesto literally means “pounded”—a reference to the old-world method of pounding the nuts and herbs into paste with a mortar and pestle. But for quicker results, a food processor is my preferred method. Choose freshest possible organic parsley and cilantro, finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, and extra virgin olive oil for best flavor.

serves: 6

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb. linguini
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 large bunch parsley, stems discarded, leaves packed to make 2 cups
• 1 large bunch cilantro, stems discarded, leaves packed to make 2 cups
• 2 cloves garlic (three if you like it extra pungent)
• 2/3 cup pistachio nuts, shells discarded
• Zest from 2 fresh lemons
• 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
• 1 heaping cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (parmesan) cheese, plus more for serving
• Salt & pepper to taste

Method

1. Heat large kettle of water with 1 tsp salt to boiling over high heat. Combine parsley and cilantro leaves with pistachio nuts, garlic and lemon zest in a food processor. Pulse to break down into small bits, scraping sides of food processor bowl. Add lemon juice and olive oil and pulse again. Add parmesan and pulse once more. Stir and add more olive oil as needed to make a rich sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
   
2. Boil the pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain. Toss cooked linguini with half of the pesto, adding a bit more olive oil as needed to ensure noodles are coated well. Serve immediately topped with extra grated parmesan, and a little extra pesto, as desired.