One day, I made cilantro pesto as I am wont to do when I have extra cilantro and Parmesan cheese on hand. Then I realized that I also had leftover cream cheese. And there was much rejoicing.
This
pasta concoction turned out to be one of my happy let’s-throw-several-yummy-things-together-and-see-what-happens
success stories. The first time I made
it, I used spaghetti noodles, and the second time, I used whole wheat
rotini. I enjoyed it thoroughly both
times, so you can really use any pasta that suits your fancy. The flavors are bold enough that they stand
up well to whole wheat, though, and I appreciate the wholesome heartiness.
I’m not
a huge pasta person in general, but I do consider pasta an excellent vehicle for
pesto. The cream cheese lends a nice
texture, but there’s not so much of it that the dish becomes heavy. I really enjoy the slight sweetness of the
broiled zucchini, and the almonds add a nice crunch. Also, this pasta is fantastic warm or cold,
which makes it an ideal leftover kind of food.
The herbs and nuts you choose to use in the pesto are variable too. This would be fantastic with traditional
basil pesto or a parsley-walnut pesto.
Go crazy.
Fun Fact: Garlic contains a phytonutrient called allium, which may contribute cholesterol-lowering benefits (evidence is still limited). However, garlic extracts and pills may not contain the same substances that would cause this effect, so embrace the garlic breath and eat some pesto.
Creamy
Pesto Pasta
Pesto
1/3 cup
raw almonds
1 oz.
parmesan cheese
2 cloves
garlic
¼
teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1 cup
packed cilantro
4-6
Tablespoons olive oil
Toast
the almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat, tossing often, until golden and
fragrant. Let cool. Cube the Parmesan cheese. In a small food processor, pulse/grind the
Parmesan until finely ground. Remove
from machine, and set aside. Add the
almonds to the food processor, and pulse until well chopped but still chunky
(don’t turn them all into dust). Remove
almonds from bowl and add to Parmesan cheese.
Place the garlic and the salt in the food processor, and process until
finely minced. Add the cilantro and 3
tablespoons of the olive oil, and process again until finely minced. Place the almonds and cheese back into the
food processor with the herbs, and continue to pulse while drizzling the
remaining olive oil into the pesto. Add
oil, and pulse until it achieves the consistency you want. I prefer mine not too oily with the almonds
still a bit chunky.
Pasta
8 oz.
whole wheat rotini
1-2
small zucchini, halved and sliced into ¼-inch thick slices
Olive
oil
3 oz.
cream cheese, softened
10
Tablespoons pesto (about one full batch)
Salt and
Pepper to taste
Additional
cilantro, toasted and chopped almonds, and shaved Parmesan to garnish
Bring a
pot of well-salted water to boil, and add the pasta. Boil about 10 minutes, until soft but not
mushy. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water,
and drain the rest.
In the
meantime, line a baking sheet with foil, and spread the zucchini out in one
layer. Drizzle with a little bit of
olive oil (1-1½ tsp.), and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Broil for about 5-10 minutes until the
zucchini is tender and browned in spots.
Add the
cream cheese and pesto to the still hot pasta, and stir to combine, adding
pasta water 1 tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is
reached. Season with salt and pepper to
taste. Add the broiled zucchini (as much
or as little as you want), and toss.
Serve with additional cilantro, toasted almonds, and shaved Parmesan
cheese. This dish is good warm or
cold. Serves four generously.
