Trofie with Pesto
A classic Ligurian pasta dish featuring twisted trofie noodles coated in a vibrant basil pesto, finished with grated cheese. Simple, fresh, and ready in about 30 minutes.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 580
- Protein
- 18g
Ingredients
- 12 oz trofie pasta
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- 1 garlic clove
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- 1
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the 12 oz trofie pasta and cook until al dente, about 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- 2
While the pasta cooks, make the pesto: in a food processor, combine the 2 cups basil, 1/2 cup Parmesan, 1/4 cup pine nuts, 1 garlic clove, and 1 tsp salt. Pulse until finely chopped.
- 3
With the processor running, slowly drizzle in the 1/2 cup olive oil until the pesto is smooth and bright green, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides as needed.
- 4
Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta. Return the pasta to the pot.
- 5
Stir the pesto into the hot pasta, adding a splash of the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce until it coats the noodles evenly, about 1-2 minutes.
- 6
Serve immediately, topped with extra grated Parmesan and a few fresh basil leaves if desired.
Tools you’ll need
- Large pot
- Food processor
- Colander
- Measuring cups and spoons
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