Pistachio Basil Pesto Pasta
…I had heard that basil pesto sauce is typically made with pine nuts or almonds. However, this recipe is from @sseong_nh. He explained that you can create a smooth and rich flavor using pistachios, and he also presented his dish beautifully. My curiosity got the best of me, so I was already toasting pistachios in a pan. I wondered what it would taste like. While the toasted pistachios cooled, I picked a handful of basil from my garden, and the aroma of basil subtly filled the kitchen. I poured a generous amount of my cherished olive oil from the bottle…. Why am I in such a hurry? What kind of richness is this? Since my second son-in-law has a pine nut allergy and should avoid certain ingredients, I was even more interested and wanted to show him the taste, so I put a lot of effort into it. Frankly, pesto sauce is very simple, and it’s great to have it stored in the freezer for whenever you need it. I heard that my grandson Siwoo also enjoys pesto sauce pasta, so I blended it a bit smoother. According to an article, Pistachios are one of the lowest-calorie nuts, which means people can enjoy the health benefits of nuts while more easily staying within their daily calorie limits. The subtle nuttiness of this recipe is very appealing and it seems like it could be used in various ways. I’m grateful for sharing this recipe @sseong_nh, and it’s always a success, so it was the best.
Servings: 3
Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
For Basil Pesto Sauce:
1. 2 cups pistachios
2. 1 1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
3. 2 garlic cloves
4. 2–3 tbsp Meyer lemon juice
5. 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
6. 1 cup fresh basil leaves
7. Sea salt to taste
8. Black pepper to taste
For Pasta:
- 340 g fresh Bucatini
- 1 cup Dungeness crab meat
2. 1 tbsp Meyer lemon juice
3. 1 tbsp olive oil
4. sea salt to taste
5. black pepper to taste
6. 1 tbsp Parmesan cheese
7. 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
8. fresh basil leaves for garnish
Cooking Instructions:
- Heat a pan over medium heat and add the pistachios to the pan. Stir-fry them until they turn light brown (until a nutty aroma arises). Set aside to cool down.
2. After cooling down, place the cooked pistachios, garlic clove, lemon juice, fresh basil, Parmesan cheese, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper into a blender.
3. Blend them until smooth, and add some extra virgin olive oil to achieve the desired consistency.
4. Divide it into sterilized jars and store in the freezer. It can be used for 3–4 months.
5. Place the Dungeness crab meat in a bowl and add 1 tbsp of lemon juice, sea salt, black pepper, and 1 tbsp of olive oil to the bowl. Mix them gently and set aside.
6. Heat a pot with medium high heat and add 1000 ml water and 1/2 tbsp sea salt into the pot to boil them.
7. After boiling the water, add the fresh pasta noodles into the pot to boil for 3–4 minutes.
8. When pasta is 80% cooked, keep about half a cup of boiling water and then remove the remaining water. Add 2–3 tbsp pistachio basil pesto sauce into a pan.
9. Emulsify the sauce into the pasta noodles in the pan. Add 1 tbsp of Parmesan cheese, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and season with sea salt and black pepper in the pan.
9. Place the cooked pasta noodles in a serving bowl, top them with Dungeness crab meat, and garnish with fresh basil.
10. Serve it. Optionally, you can also add caviar on top of the crab meat.
You can also view this recipe on instagram.
