Pea Prosciutto Pistachio Pesto Pasta Salad
Years ago, on a culinary trip to Italy, I tasted some of the most heavenly pasta at a hilltop villa just outside of Rome. When I returned home, I recreated the pistachio, mint, and basil pesto, which is still one of my favorite summer dishes. Here I used it with spring peas from the garden and prosciutto to make a pasta salad. Fusilli is a perfect pasta shape to capture the rough texture of pesto into each bite.
4 servings
INGREDIENTS:
Pesto
8 large garlic cloves, peeled
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
⅓ cup firmly packed mint leaves
¼ firmly packed cup basil leaves
¼ cup pistachios, lightly toasted
½ cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, finely grated
Pasta Salad
8 ounces fusilli
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 cup fresh peas
2 ounces sliced prosciutto, cut into bite-sized pieces
Sea salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
½ cup mint leaves, roughly hand torn
¼ cup basil leaves, roughly hand torn
¼ cup pistachios, toasted, chopped
¼ cup Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
DIRECTIONS:
Pesto
In a small cast-iron pan, roast the garlic in the extra-virgin olive oil until golden brown. Remove from heat and cool.
In a small saucepan of boiling water, blanch the mint and basil leaves for thirty seconds. Strain and immediately shock in cold water. Squeeze dry. (This step will retain the bright green color of the herbs.)
Pulse the blanched mint and basil leaves with the pistachios in a food processor until the mixture has a crumbly texture. Add the garlic, pistachios, Parmigiano Reggiano, and half of the olive oil. Reserve the remaining garlic oil to use in the salad. Pulse until it comes together, but not too fine. Add more of the garlic oil if the pesto appears too dry.
Pasta Salad
Bring two quarts of water to a boil. Add the kosher salt and fusilli. Stir until the water returns to a boil. Cook the amount of time designated on the package directions or until the pasta is al dente (to the bite). Drain in a colander.
Toss the hot pasta with the pesto. Add the remaining garlic oil, season with sea salt and black pepper. Pour into a large pasta bowl. Allow to cool to room temperature.
Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Shell the peas. Place the peas in the boiling water and simmer until tender, for about two to three minutes. Drain and cool in ice water. Drain and add to the pasta. Add the prosciutto, salt, and black pepper. Toss all together. Top with the torn mint and basil leaves and pistachios. Serve at room temperature or chill for half an hour.
Pea Prosciutto Pistachio Pesto Pasta Salad
Years ago, on a culinary trip to Italy, I tasted some of the most heavenly pasta at a hilltop villa just outside of Rome. When I returned home, I recreated the pistachio, mint, and basil pesto, which is still one of my favorite summer dishes. Here I used it with spring peas from the garden and prosciutto to make a pasta salad. Fusilli is a perfect pasta shape to capture the rough texture of pesto into each bite.
Ingredients
- 8 large garlic cloves, peeled
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup firmly packed mint leaves
- ¼ firmly packed cup basil leaves
- ¼ cup pistachios, lightly toasted
- ½ cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, finely grated
- 8 ounces fusilli
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 cup fresh peas
- 2 ounces sliced prosciutto, cut into bite-sized pieces
- Sea salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- ½ cup mint leaves, roughly hand torn
- ¼ cup basil leaves, roughly hand torn
- ¼ cup pistachios, toasted, chopped
- ¼ cup Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
Instructions
- In a small cast-iron pan, roast the garlic in the extra-virgin olive oil until golden brown. Remove from heat and cool.
- In a small saucepan of boiling water, blanch the mint and basil leaves for thirty seconds. Strain and immediately shock in cold water. Squeeze dry. (This step will retain the bright green color of the herbs.)
- Pulse the blanched mint and basil leaves with the pistachios in a food processor until the mixture has a crumbly texture. Add the garlic, pistachios, Parmigiano Reggiano, and half of the olive oil. Reserve the remaining garlic oil to use in the salad. Pulse until it comes together, but not too fine. Add more of the garlic oil if the pesto appears too dry.
- Bring two quarts of water to a boil. Add the kosher salt and fusilli. Stir until the water returns to a boil. Cook the amount of time designated on the package directions or until the pasta is al dente (to the bite). Drain in a colander.
- Toss the hot pasta with the pesto. Add the remaining garlic oil, season with sea salt and black pepper. Pour into a large pasta bowl. Allow to cool to room temperature.
- Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Shell the peas. Place the peas in the boiling water and simmer until tender, for about two to three minutes. Drain and cool in ice water. Drain and add to the pasta. Add the prosciutto, salt, and black pepper. Toss all together. Top with the torn mint and basil leaves and pistachios. Serve at room temperature or chill for half an hour.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
713Fat (grams)
46 gSat. Fat (grams)
10 gCarbs (grams)
56 gFiber (grams)
6 gNet carbs
50 gSugar (grams)
5 gProtein (grams)
22 gSodium (milligrams)
1324 mgCholesterol (grams)
22 mgThe information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.