A classic Italian pasta dishes Penne pasta cooked in Pesto sauce with the flavour of fresh basil, garlic and garnished with Parmesan cheese and sun dried tomatoes.
Ingredients Qty
Penne Pasta 100 gms
Garlic cloves 3
Basil Leaves a bunch
Pine Nuts 1 tbsp
Olive Oil 8 tbsp
Parmesan cheese grated
Salt to taste
Black pepper a pinch
Sun Dried Tomatoes 1 tbsp
Process
(Pesto Sauce)
- Take a blender/mixer and put basil leaves, 6 spoons olive oil, handful of grated parmesan cheese, pine nuts, two garlic cloves, salt and pepper and blend to get a green textured smooth paste.
- Check the seasoning and grind until its fine. Pesto sauce is ready. (store in refrigerator for 4 weeks in air tight container)
Penne Pasta
- Take a heavy bottom pan and put water in it, salt and half a spoon of olive oil.
- Once the water starts boiling put in the pasta and stir well. After 7-8 minutes check the pasta if its Al Dente (80% cooked).
- Strain the pasta, save half a cup of pasta stock.
- Take a pan on medium flame, put olive oil in it, once the oil is hot, put in the remaining garlic (fine chopped) and sauté, add cooked chicken, blanched broccoli or cooked mushrooms and toss for 5 minutes until they are cooked.
- Add 2 tbsp of fresh pesto sauce, and pasta stock (you can add milk too) and put in the pasta.
- Toss for 5-7 minutes until the pasta is well coated in pesto sauce and there is a nice fragrance of basil. Put salt and pepper.
- Turn off the flame, serve hot and garnish with remaining parmesan cheese. (sun dried tomatoes are optional).
