Fusilli with Spicy Pesto

Name: Fusilli with Spicy Pesto
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients: 1 cup chopped walnuts; 2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped; 1 (2-inch) red or green jalapeño pepper, stemmed and coarsely chopped (see Cook’s Note); 2 cups (78 ounces) grated Asiago cheese plus 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shaved; 2 teaspoons salt, or more to taste; 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste; 2 cups (3 ounces) baby spinach; 3 cups (3 ounces) arugula; 1/4 cup olive oil; 1 pound fusilli pasta

December 20, 2011

I don’t cook with jalapeño peppers often because I’m not a huge fan of spicy food, but when I was served grilled fish topped with a spicy pesto at a beach-side restaurant near San Diego, I loved the way the heat woke up the flavor of the fish. I thought it could do the same for pasta, and sure enough, it’s a great combo. Packed with spinach and arugula, this pesto is more condiment and less sauce than the typical basil pesto, and a bit lighter thanks to the substitution of walnuts for oily pine nuts. Fusilli is the perfect partner for any kind of pesto because the sauce gets trapped in the ridges so you get flavor in every bite. Serve leftovers of the dressed pasta with roasted chicken, fish, or beef.

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