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Asparagus Pesto with Tiny Potatoes and Pasta
For the pesto:
1 bunch asparagus, about 1 pound, trimmed and cooked for 5 minutes
in boiling, salted water (reserve water for pasta)
1/2 cup packed coarsely chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Gray salt and freshly ground pepper
About 1 cup pure olive oil
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 pound marble-size potatoes
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Gray salt and freshly ground pepper
3/4 pound dried orecchiette or other pasta the same size as potatoes
About 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Cut the cooked asparagus spears into thirds. Put in a food processor
with the basil, pine nuts, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste.
Keep in mind you will add Parmesan as well, so be careful not to
oversalt. With the machine running, slowly add the cup of olive oil.
When the sauce is about the consistency of mayonnaise, it has enough
oil. Pulse in the Parmesan. Thin with water if necessary to achieve
a slick, saucy pesto. Scrape into a bowl or jar, cover, and
refrigerate until needed. You should have about 3 cups. (Keeps about
2 to 3 days, refrigerated.)
Put the potatoes in a pan of salted cold water to cover and bring to
a boil. Cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and let cool for
a few minutes. If the potatoes are larger than about 1/2 inch in
diameter, cut in half.
Heat the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium-high heat until
hot. Add the potatoes and cook until browned and crispy all over,
about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
While the potatoes are browning, return the water used for cooking
the asparagus, if reserved, to a boil or bring a new pot of water to
a boil. Add more salt and the pasta and cook until al dente, about
12 minutes. Drain through a colander, reserving about 1/2 cup of the
pasta cooking water. Pour the pasta into a warm serving bowl, add
the potatoes, about 1 cup of the asparagus pesto, several twists of
pepper, and 1/4 cup of the Parmesan. Toss well, thinning with the
pasta cooking water as necessary.
Dust with a light grating of Parmesan before serving and pass the
remaining cheese and a bowl of pesto at the table.
Basil Pesto
(Makes about 3/4 cup, enough for 1 pound pasta.)
2 cups firmly packed fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
Sea salt, preferably Gray salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of powdered ascorbic acid
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Prepare an ice water bath in a large bowl, and bring a large pot of
water to a boil. Put the basil in a large sieve and plunge it into
the boiling water. Immediately immerse all the basil and stir so
that it blanches evenly. Blanch for about 15 seconds. Remove, shake
off the excess water, then plunge the basil into the ice water bath
and stir again so it cools as fast as possible. Drain well.
Squeeze the water out of the basil with your hands until very dry.
Roughly chop the basil and put in a blender. Add the garlic, salt
and pepper to taste, olive oil, pine nuts, and the vitamin C, if
using. Blend for at least 30 seconds. In this way the green of the
basil will thoroughly color the oil. Add the cheese and pulse to
combine. The pesto will keep several days in a tightly sealed
container in the refrigerator.
Notes: Don't try to make this pesto in a food processor. The
processor just throws it around the bowl. A blender does a much
better job. Be sure to thin the pesto with some of the hot pasta
water before tossing it with pasta.
Serves: 4 |