Linguine al Pesto: The Classic Recipe from Liguria

Donning the apron need not take hours, especially with this simple, quality recipe for linguine al pesto. In Ligurian dialect, pestâ means "crush." Pesto, which originates in the port city of Genoa in Liguria, is typically made of freshly crushed basil, extra virgin olive oil, pine nuts, sea salt and garlic.

Ingredients for 4 people

• 1 (17.6 oz) bag of Eataly Linguine
• 1 (7.17 oz) jar of Niasca pesto
• Extra virgin olive oil, to taste
• Sea salt, to taste

How to make Linguine al Pesto

1. Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil and add enough salt to make it a bit less salty than the sea (about 2-3 tablespoons). Meanwhile, place the pesto in a sauté pan or a shallow mixing dish and set aside.
2. Cook the pasta in the boiling water until almost al dente, then drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta's cooking water.
3. Add the pasta to the pesto in the sauté pan or shallow dish, but do not place it over heat. Toss to combine and add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. If needed, add a small amount of the pasta cooking water to thin the pesto.
4. When the pasta is completely coated with pesto, transfer it to a warmed serving dish and serve.

Tips

Variation

Add 1 cup of blanched young green beans (or haricots verts) and 6 new potatoes, boiled and halved. Toss the cooked vegetables with the pesto before adding the cooked pasta.