Cavatelli with Arugula Pesto
Elevate your pasta night with this easy cavatelli recipe featuring fresh arugula and basil pesto. Cavatelli with arugula pesto is a simple yet elegant dish.
Servings: 4 people
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Pasta:
- 1 Pound cavatelli pasta
- salt as needed
For the Arugula Pesto:
- ½ Cup pine nuts toasted
- 1 ½ Cups basil fresh
- 1 ½ Cups baby arugula plus extra for garnish
- ½ Teaspoon thyme fresh
- ½ Cup parmesan cheese freshly grated
- ½ Cup extra-virgin olive oil
- salt and black pepper freshly ground, to taste
- 1/3 Cup ricotta cheese
To Garnish:
- parmesan shavings
- arugula leaves
- pine nuts toasted
Instructions
Cook the Pasta:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium heat. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook per the package instructions.
- Drain the pasta when al dente, reserving ½ cup of the pasta water for use in the sauce.
- Return the drained pasta to the pan to keep it hot, off the heat.
Toast the Pine Nuts:
- While the pasta is cooking, toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over a low heat.
- Stir them every minute for about three minutes. They are ready when their color changes to a light golden brown. Don't over-toast them, or they will taste very bitter - watch them carefully!
- Transfer the nuts to a paper towel to cool.
Blanch the Arugula and Basil:
- Bring a medium pan of water to a boil.
- Blanch the arugula and basil for 30 to 45 seconds to set the vibrant green color.
- Immediately plunge the blanched herbs into an ice water bath to stop the cooking process.
- Remove the herbs from the ice bath and drain on paper towels.
Make the Pesto:
- Add about 1/3 cup of the cooled pine nuts to a food processor and pulse until finely ground.
- Add the basil, arugula, and thyme to the food processor along with ¼ teaspoon of salt and puree.
- Add the grated parmesan cheese and pulse to mix it in.
- With the food processor running, slowly pour the olive oil through the opening in the lid and puree to your desired consistency.
Assemble the Dish:
- Stir the pesto and reserved pasta water into the pot of hot, drained pasta.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Spoon the pasta into serving dishes and top with small dollops of ricotta cheese.
- Garnish with fresh arugula leaves, the remaining pine nuts, and parmesan shavings. Serve immediately.
Notes
Save some time: You can skip the step of blanching the arugula and basil if you are short on time; just remember your pesto might not be as vibrant a green.
Add the right amount of oil: Add the extra-virgin olive oil gradually. You might not need all of it - just add enough to achieve your preferred pesto consistency.
Parmesan curls: Use your vegetable peeler to make the parmesan curls. For smaller curls, use the side edge of the chunk of cheese. You can also buy shaved parmesan cheese at the grocery store. It doesn't last as long in the refrigerator, so freezing it works best.
Add the right amount of oil: Add the extra-virgin olive oil gradually. You might not need all of it - just add enough to achieve your preferred pesto consistency.
Parmesan curls: Use your vegetable peeler to make the parmesan curls. For smaller curls, use the side edge of the chunk of cheese. You can also buy shaved parmesan cheese at the grocery store. It doesn't last as long in the refrigerator, so freezing it works best.
Nutrition
Calories: 862kcal | Carbohydrates: 88g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 46g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 25g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 228mg | Potassium: 443mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 859IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 247mg | Iron: 3mg
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