As we reach towards the end of summer, I had to make Pesto Pasta one more time. But truth be told, I make this recipe throughout the year using the homemade pesto that I freeze in batches in summer.
WHY MAKE PESTO PASTA?
Firstly, it tastes delicious!
Secondly, you can have dinner ready for the entire family in less than 40 mins.
Depending on what I have in the refrigerator and my mood, sometimes I toss in suatéd broccoli, corn or caramelized onions to make it a wholesome meal.
WHICH PASTA GOES BEST WITH PESTO?
I would say use any pasta of your choice. However, I personally prefer fusilli, cavatappi, or rotini as they hold the pasta sauce better thus optimizing the flavor in every bite.
CAN I USE STORE BOUGHT PESTO SAUCE?
Yes, you can; but the taste of store bought pesto will never give you the same end result as that of homemade Pesto.
If you want thicker and creamier sauce, use heavy cream instead of table cream in the recipe.
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Creamy Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Pesto Sauce (Recipe mentioned in blog above)
- 270 gms Boiled Fusilli Pasta (approx. 2.5 cups)
- 2 tbsp Light Olive Oil
- 4 tbsp Whipped butter (or Regular salted butter)
- 4 tbsp All Purpose Flour
- 2 & 1/2 Cups Milk
- 1/2 Cup Grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- 1 tsp Salt (or as desired)
- 1 tsp Black Pepper powder (or as desired)
- 1/3 Cup Table Cream
- 8-10 Cherry Tomatoes Split in half (or as desired)
- 1/2 tsp Dried Oregano
Instructions
- First gather all the ingredients before you start to cook. Make sure your Pesto sauce is ready. Click
here for my homemade Classic Pesto recipe - Now keep a large pot of water for boiling. Meanwhile, in another deep non-stick pot, heat 3 tbsp Light Olive oil and 2 tbsp whipped butter together on a medium flame.
- Once the butter melts, add 4 tbsp of All purpose flour and start mixing it using a whisk. Once the roux (mixture of fat and flour) turns light golden in color, pour 2 & ½ cups of milk in it little at a time whilst continuously mixing it with a whisk. Using a whisk helps prevent lumps.
- Once the milk comes to a boil, lower the flame, add 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper powder and ½ cup of shredded parmigiano reggiano cheese. Mix well until they are well combined.
- Add 1 cup of pesto into the above prepared white sauce. Stir again and keep the pot aside.
- By now the water in the big pot would have come to a boil. Add 1 tsp salt in the water and 270 gms (2.5 cups approx) of fusilli pasta in the water. Boil them until they're al dente.
- While the pasta is boiling, heat 1 tsp olive oil in a small pan on medium flame. To which add 8 to 10 cherry tomatoes split in half. Sprinkle some salt, pepper and ½ tsp dried oregano over the tomatoes. Sauté the tomatoes for a couple of mins or until they develop some color.
- Now add the boiled pasta and the sautéed tomatoes both in the pesto sauce. Also add ⅓ cup of table cream.
- Mix everything together gently. Make sure the pasta is well coated with the pesto sauce.
- Serve hot. Garnish some shredded parmigiano reggiano over the pasta before serving.