Trenette Pasta al Pesto With Green Beans and Potatoes
Trenette Al Pesto is the traditional Ligurian pasta dish made popular in Disney-Pixar's Luca. It consists of golden potatoes, green beans, basil pesto, and al dente Trenette pasta!
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 3127kcal
Ingredients
For the homemade pesto alla Genovese: ** see notes
- 2 ½ cups fresh basil leaves
- 3 Tablespoons Pecorino Romano grated
- 1 Tablespoon Parmigiano Reggiano grated plus more for serving
- ¼ cup pine nuts toasted and a few more for garnish
- 1 clove garlic chopped
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest plus half a lemon juiced plus juice from ½ lemon
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus more for serving
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- You may also use 1 cup of your homemade pesto or as needed
For the pasta and vegetables:
- 1 lb. trenette pasta may sub with linguine
- ½ lb. green bean ends trimmed and cut into 1 ½ - 2-inch pieces ends trimmed and cut into 1½-2-pinch pieces
- ⅓ pound Small Yukon Gold potatoes (151g) halved
- Extra virgin olive oil for serving
- Flaky sea salt for serving
Instructions
Make the homemade basil pesto sauce:
- Place all ingredients except for the olive oil in the bowl of a food processor fitted with blade attachment: 2 ½ cups basil leaves, ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, ¼ cup toasted pine nuts, one clove chopped garlic, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, ½ lemon juiced, 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper. Pulse until the ingredients are very finely chopped.
- With the food processor on, slowly drizzle in ½ cup of the extra virgin olive oil through the feeding tube until the pesto is smooth and emulsified. Please set aside or store it in a fridge until you need it.
Cooking the pasta and vegetables:
- Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil, then season generously with 1-2 tablespoon Kosher salt.
- Carefully add the halved potatoes to the boiling water. Cook for about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the pasta to the same large pot, stirring it well. Cook until al dente according to package instructions (usually 9-13 minutes, depending on the pasta). Five minutes after adding the pasta, mix in the cut green beans. Be sure to check to make sure each ingredient is fully cooked. When done, reserve ½ cup of cooking water. Drain the water from the vegetables and pasta in the pot using a large colander.
- In the same large pot, pour in the prepared pesto sauce. Place over medium heat, then add the drained pasta, veggies, and ½ cup of reserved cooking water. Toss until heated through and the pasta is well coated about 2 minutes.
How to serve:
- To serve, plate the pasta, sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese, then drizzle each portion with extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of flaky sea salt, and extra black pepper. Serve immediately!
Notes
Basil pesto will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
** May also use your homemade basil pesto or an excellent quality store-bought (about 1 cup or more as needed).
Nutrition
Calories: 3127kcal | Carbohydrates: 384g | Protein: 79g | Fat: 144g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 26g | Monounsaturated Fat: 88g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 2638mg | Potassium: 2407mg | Fiber: 25g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 4845IU | Vitamin C: 49mg | Calcium: 537mg | Iron: 14mg