Pasta, Pesto and Peas

Submitted by Pianolady

"A very refreshing dish that can be served at a barbeque, beach party, picnic, etc. From Ina Garten / The Barefoot Contessa. This is not in any of her cookbooks, so I wanted to share it here."

 

• Ready In: 57mins
• Ingredients: 12
• Serves: 12

ingredients

• 3⁄4 lb fusilli
• 3⁄4 lb bow tie pasta
• 1⁄4 cup olive oil
• 1 1⁄2 cups pesto sauce (I use my Pesto Sauce for Pesto, also from The Barefoot Contessa)
• 10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 1⁄4 cups of good mayonnaise
• 1⁄2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1 1⁄2 cups frozen peas, defrosted
• 1⁄3 cup pignolis (pine nuts)
• 3⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3⁄4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

directions

1. Cook the fusilli and bow tie pastas separately in a large pot of boiling salted water for 10 to 12 minutes until each pasta is al dente (you can use any pasta you like, however, or any combination of pastas).
2. Drain and toss into a bowl with the olive oil. Cool to room temperature.
3. In the bowl of a food processor (fitted with a steel blade), puree the pesto, spinach and lemon juice.
4. Add the mayonnaise and puree. Add the pesto mixture to the cooled pasta and then add the Parmesan Cheese, peas, pignolis, salt and peper. Mix well, season to taste, and serve at room temperature.

Reviews

[rosslare]

Great green pasta salad!

 

[Victoria v.]

Made without spinach or nuts.. Was a very nice pasta salad! Will add nuts next time.

 

[dallasdiva]

Very good! Made with mini shells and elbows. Left out the additional olive oil and most of the mayo. Still delicious! Creamy and yummy. Swapped olive oil 'mayo' for the regular. Hubby said he wants it again, so that means it is goooood.

 

[seths]

wife loved it, used all fusilli, didnt have nuts thansk

 

[Charmie777]

This was sooo good! I just used fusilli pasta and it was fine. I could eat this all day!