I read a few blogs on a daily basis. One that I love is
Dinner: A Love Story. I really appreciate the simplicity of most of their recipes and the light and fun way in which they share them and stories of their family.
I recently tried
their Spaghetti and Mint-Pea Pesto. I was stuck at home with a sleeping toddler and a pretty bare pantry. I remembered seeing this recipe and realized I had most of the ingredients on hand. Peas in the freezer, mint in the yard and some random noodles. I could make dinner for myself without having to order pizza.
Here is my slightly-adapted version based on what I had available to me:
Spaghetti with Mint-Pea Pesto
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup loosely packed italian parsley
1/2 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parm, plus more for serving
1 pound spaghetti
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste (this is my favorite salt)
Red pepper flakes to taste
Bring a large pot of water to boil on the stove. Whirl ingredients (except spaghetti) in a food processor. Consistency should be somewhere in between smooth and chunky guacamole.
Add pasta to the pot and about half way through cooking it, scoop out about a cup of hot water. Set aside. Drain pasta once cooked. Scrape pea mixture into the empty hot pot, then start drizzling reserved pasta water into the dip, whisking until it has the consistency of a creamy sauce. Toss pasta in sauce and serve with freshly grated Parm, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.
