Pesto is definitely a staple in our kitchen.

For this recipe you can use a good quality store-bought pesto or you can either make it yourself.

I usually buy a mild pesto, mild in the sense of garlic flavor. As I have mentioned before, I find the extreme use of garlic overwhelming, but I understand that some people love it.

The good thing about making pesto at home is that pesto is very versatile, it is amazing with so many different variations.

I had a bunch of fresh basil and some frozen sweet peas (leftovers from dinner) and decided to make a sweet pea with basil pesto. This time I used marcona almonds instead of pine nuts – just for a change and also the marcona almonds are already roasted. It will save me another step.

Fried breadcrumbs are a great addition to your pasta, not only for texture but also for flavor. I used anchovy paste – it is just a seasoning step and I assure you it doesn’t taste like fish!  I used it to infuse the oil and butter to fry and toast the breadcrumbs along with a clove of garlic.  I sprinkled some fresh basil t o add a layer of freshness and flavor.

Keep in mind that anchovy paste is used to make Caesar salad dressing and we can’t taste it once has been mixed with the other ingredients . You can replace the paste with one anchovy filet or simply omit it if you prefer or don’t have any.

You can use the leftover breadcrumbs (if any) in meatballs and salads, they are absolutely delicious!

I like to serve this pasta with fresh burrata, tore with the breadcrumbs on top, sweet peas, a thin drizzle of olive oil, sprinkle some salt and black pepper and/or red pepper flakes with some freshly grated parmesan cheese.

All these simple ingredients, combined in different layers of flavor are going to make you look like a very sophisticated chef with a recipe that only took you less than 30 minutes to make.

We haven’t gone to the movies as I had planned. We got hooked to Luther and the Bodyguard in Netflix instead and we already finished both shows this week! Hopefully, we will go to the movies next weekend.

Below is what you need.

Sweet Pea and Basil Pesto with fried breadcrumbs and Burrata

Yield:
Pesto: 1 1/3 cup
Pasta: 3 servings

Ingredients

For the pesto:

1/2 cup of frozen sweet peas + extra for serving the pasta

1 1/2 cup of fresh basil leaves, packed

1 – 2 garlic clove

1/2 cup of parmesan cheese + extra for serving

1/2 cup of roasted marcona almonds or toasted pine nuts (you can also use walnuts or cashews)

3/4 of cup of extra virgin olive oil + extra to top pesto

1/4 tsp of salt – to taste

1/8 tsp of black pepper

For the breadcrumbs:

1/2 cup of panko breadcrumbs

2 tbs of extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp of ghee (or butter)

1 tbs of fresh basil, chopped

1 clove of garlic

1 tsp of anchovy paste or 1 anchovy filet (optional)

1/4 tsp of salt – to taste

1/8 tsp of black pepper

 

1/2 lb of rigatoni pasta

1 big ball or 2 medium burrata balls

 

 

 

Instructions

Pesto:

Place almonds or pine nuts and garlic in the food processor and pulse several times until finely ground. Add basil, sweet peas, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper and pulse again at slow speed and slowly add the olive oil in a steady stream, until pesto is mixed and smooth. Place int a container with a film of olive oil on top.

Breadcrumbs:

Place olive oil and ghee (or butter) in a medium pan and add the anchovy paste. Smash with a wooden spoon to mix with the oil and butter. Add the garlic and lightly infuse the oil mix for a few minutes at medium heat. Add the panko breadcrumbs and increase the temperature to medium-high heat. Stir constantly until crunchy and golden brown. Sprinkle the fresh basil and salt and mix.

For the pasta 

Cook pasta according to packaging instructions. Save 1/2 cup of the pasta water before draining the rigatoni.

Place pasta in the pan with 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil. Add 1/3 to 1/2 cup of pesto and 1/4 cup of the pasta water. Mix the pasta creating a creamy sauce, enough to cover the pasta. You may need to add more pesto and olive oil.

I like to serve it with tore pieces of burrata, sweet peas, sprinkle the breadcrumbs and freshly grated parmesan cheese on top with a drizzle of olive oil and a touch of salt and black pepper.

Notes

Store pesto in the refrigerator in an airtight container with a film of olive oil on top.

Like all pesto, it  freezes well. You could freeze it in a small jar or container or you could freeze it in ice-cube trays.