Fusilli With Feta & Lemon Caper Pesto

Excerpted from Cooking New American by the Editors of Fine Cooking. Cooking Right: Thin the pesto with a little of the reserved pasta water; you probably won’t need to use all of the water.

• Ready In: 15 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• For the pasta

•  salt
• 1⁄2 lb  dried  fusilli
• 1  bunch fresh spinach, stems cut off, leaves washed well but not dried (10 ounces)
• 1⁄4 lb feta, crumbled (2/3 cup)

• For the pesto

• 1  small garlic clove
• 2 -3  anchovy fillets, rinsed and patted dry
• 1  tablespoon capers, soaked briefly and rinsed
• 1  inch  strips lemon zest, minced
• 3⁄4 ounce feta, crumbled (2 tablespoons)
• 1⁄4 cup  roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 -3  fresh basil leaves
• 1  tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil
•  salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water before draining the pasta, and don’t wash the pot. Meanwhile, put the wet spinach in a large skillet over medium heat. Add a dash of salt, cover, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, but keep the lid on.
2. Put the garlic, anchovies, capers, lemon zest, 2 tablespoons feta, parsley, basil, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a blender and blend until the pesto is creamy.
3. Thin the pesto with a little of the reserved pasta water to get the consistency of runny cream.
4. Return the pasta to its pot; add the spinach and the pesto, stirring very well to coat the pasta.
5. Stir in the 2/3 cup crumbled feta and serve.