Tomato Basil Spaghetti

Recently my friend Hayley asked me if we could make pesto together.  I love fresh pesto and I get tons of basil from the CSA.  It is so verdant and flavorful!  If you have never made pesto before it is SO easy and fast, plus it stays good FOREVER in the fridge, or you can freese it! The ingredients can be a little bit expensive, but basil grows like a weed in the summer and it is well worth planting...plus, a little pesto goes a long way.  One of my most popular pesto recipes is my baked crunchy pesto chicken.  
I used this batch of homemade pesto that Hayley and I made in a lovely summer pasta dish - Tomato Basil Spaghetti. YUM!


Basil Pesto

• 1 - 2 cups fresh basil leaves
• 1 cup toasted pine nuts 
• 1 cup good crumbled parmesan cheese (make sure you use fresh parmesan)
• The juice of 1 lemon
• 1 head roasted garlic (you can also use two to three garlic cloves, minced, I like the milder flavor of the roasted garlic though.  Sometimes I don't put any garlic in it if I am in a hurry and it is still delicious).  
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt or kosher salt
• 1/4-1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Place all the ingredients, except the oil, in the bowl of your food processor.  Process until the ingredients begin to break down and come together.  Stream in the olive oil a little at a time until the ingredients begin to emulsify.  Continue to add olive oil until the sauce gets to your desired consistency (less olive oil for thicker sauce, more for thinner).  

Tomato and Basil Spaghetti

• 1 lb spaghetti, cooked according to package directions and drained
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 heaping tablespoonful homemade or store bought pesto
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt or kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp. olive oil

In a large, deep sided skillet saute the onions and garlic in olive oil over medium high heat until translucent.  Add the diced tomatoes, the salt, and the red pepper flakes and continue to cook, stirring frequently, another 5-7 minutes or until heated through.  Turn heat down to low, mix in the spaghetti.  Once tomato mixture is well incorporated add the pesto and mix into the spaghetti.  Serve with a yummy sprinkling of good parmesan cheese.  

Until next time, happy and HEALTHY cooking and EATING!