Ingredients
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3/4 lb rotini pasta
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1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
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1/2 cup nuts, such as pine nuts, walnuts, pistachios, almonds, or pumpkin seeds
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2 cloves garlic
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1 1/2 cup gently packed herbs, such as basil, parsley, cilantro, dill, and/or mint, stems removed
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1/3 cup grated hard cheese, such as Parmesan, Pecorino, Asiago, or Manchego, plus more to garnish
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1/3 cup oil, such as olive oil, sunflower oil, avocado oil, or pumpkin seed oil
Steps
1
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil on high. Add the pasta and cook 6–8 min., until almost completely cooked. Add the peas and cook 2 min., until pasta is cooked and peas are tender. Reserve 1 cup cooking liquid before draining in colander. Return pasta and peas to pot but keep off the heat.
2
While pasta is cooking, to a food processor, add the nuts and garlic. Pulse 1–2 min., until finely chopped. Add the herbs and cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Blend 1–2 min., until a paste has formed. With the motor running, slowly stream in the oil until a smooth consistency is reached. If needed, add water, 1 tbsp at a time, until desired consistency is achieved.
3
Add pesto to pot with pasta and peas. Add cooking liquid, ¼ cup at a time, as needed to achieve a creamy consistency. Serve immediately, with more grated cheese on top.
