Pesto Pasta and Peas Salad - Joshua

This is from my cousins food blog. She is amazing.

http://straightupgoodfood.blogspot.com/2009/08/pesto-pasta-and-peas-salad.html
Here is her recipe -----------Pesto Pasta and Peas Salad

SO MY AUNT ANNA, WHO IS AN AMAZING COOK(TO SAY THE LEAST) MADE THIS AT OUR FAM REUNION. OH SO TASTEY! WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS RECIPE IS THAT IT DOESN'T DRY OUT. I MAKE A PESTO PASTA WITH PEAS AND PINE NUTS BUT IT IS SERVED HOT AND WOULD TASTE DRY AT ROOM TEMP, THE FRESH LEMON JUICE AND MAYO REALLY DO THE TRICK-

Serves 12- serve at room temp

Great for a crowd or gathering since it doesn’t get dry and everyone seems to like it.

1 pound of bow tie pasta

1 pound of corkscrew pasta

¼ cup good olive oil

1 ½ cup homemade pesto (noted below) or if you are in a pinch store bought

1 10 oz frozen spinach defrosted, squeezed dry or cook your own fresh and do the same

3 TBL fresh lemon juice (about 1 med sized lemon)

1 ¼ cup good mayonnaise

½ cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese (don’t use the kind in a can – use fresh)

2 cups frozen defrosted peas

1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

¾ tsp salt

¾ tsp pepper

Cook the pasta until al dente, drain, and toss with olive oil. Cool to room temp. In a food processor puree the pesto, spinach, and lemon juice. Add the mayo (this is the secret to the moistness) and puree a little more. Add the sauce to the pasta; add cheese, peas, nuts, salt and pepper, and mix well. Season to taste and serve at room temp.

How to toast pine nuts: Broil and keep an eye on them until they are light brown, or place in a dry sauté pan and cook over med heat for about 4 minutes until evenly browned, tossing frequently.

Homemade pesto- makes 4 cups: (many ways to make this- I like the below a lot you can use all pine nuts or other nuts too - substitute cilantro for the basil for another kind of pesto, or even add roasted red pepper) Use the left over on hot pasta and don’t bother with the other ingredients for the salad. Use it on toast with tomatoes; dollop on fish or chicken or veggies, the sky is the limit. This will keep in the fridge for a few weeks if you keep a thin film of olive oil over the top, or you can freeze it.

¼ cup walnuts

¼ cup pine nuts

9 cloves of garlic

5 cups fresh basil

1 tsp salt

1tsp pepper

1 ½ cup good olive oil

1 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese

Put the nuts and garlic in a food processor and process finely ground. Add basil, salt and pepper process until you can’t see leaf chunks. While the machine is going add the olive oil until everything is finely pureed. Add the Parmesan and puree for a minute. Enjoy!