Basil, Parsley & Walnut Pesto

Name: Basil, Parsley & Walnut Pesto
Yield: makes about 1 1/2 cups, enough for a pound of maccheroni alla chitarra or other pasta
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves; 1 cup loosely packed fresh Italian parsley leaves; 4 plump garlic cloves, peeled; 2 cups walnut halves or pieces, toasted; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus a bit more for storing; 1 cup freshly grated pecorino (or half pecorino and half Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano, for a milder flavor), plus more for passing; A food processor

December 9, 2011

This distinctively flavored pesto is a superb dressing for maccheroni alla chitarra (page 236), spaghetti, or linguine, or a short dry pasta such as gemelli, lumache, or rigatoni. It’s a great condiment, too: put a spoonful on fish or chicken hot off the grill for a real treat. Make extra pesto when basil and parsley are plentiful, in summer, and freeze it in small containers to use through the winter.

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