Trofie al Pesto Genovese

Tags: #italian #pasta #ligurian #vegetarian #classic Serving: 4 servings Total time: 40 minutes

Handmade Ligurian basil pesto coats twisted trofie with tender potatoes and green beans for a quintessential Genovese pasta.

Ingredients

• 400 g trofie pasta
• 200 g waxy potatoes, peeled and diced 1.5 cm
• 150 g green beans, trimmed and cut 4–5 cm
• 60 g basil leaves
• 30 g pine nuts
• 5 g garlic clove, peeled
• 60 g Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
• 20 g Pecorino Sardo, finely grated
• 120 ml extra-virgin olive oil
• 15 ml extra-virgin olive oil, for finishing
• 1–2 g fine sea salt, for pesto
• 4000 ml water
• 40 g coarse sea salt, for boiling

Steps

1. Fill a large pot with 4000 ml water.
2. Bring the water to a rolling boil.
3. Rinse the basil leaves under cold water.
4. Dry the basil leaves thoroughly.
5. Place the garlic in a mortar.
6. Pound the garlic with a pinch of fine sea salt to a paste.
7. Add the pine nuts to the mortar.
8. Crush the pine nuts to a smooth paste.
9. Add one-third of the basil leaves to the mortar.
10. Pound the basil to a vivid green paste.
11. Add another third of the basil leaves.
12. Pound the basil to incorporate.
13. Add the remaining basil leaves.
14. Pound the basil to a fine, uniform paste.
15. Drizzle in half of the olive oil while stirring to loosen the pesto.
16. Stir in the Parmigiano Reggiano.
17. Stir in the Pecorino Sardo.
18. Stir in the remaining olive oil to reach a creamy, spoonable consistency.
19. Taste the pesto.
20. Season the pesto with 1–2 g fine sea salt to balance.
21. Add the coarse sea salt to the boiling water.
22. Add the diced potatoes to the pot.
23. Boil the potatoes for 3 minutes.
24. Add the green beans to the pot.
25. Boil the potatoes and green beans for 3 minutes.
26. Add the trofie to the pot.
27. Cook the trofie until al dente.
28. Reserve 150 ml of the pasta cooking water.
29. Drain the trofie, potatoes, and green beans.
30. Transfer the pesto to a large mixing bowl.