Pasta Salad With Pesto(atk)

Total Time: 53 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 8 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 3/4 cup pine nuts
• 2 medium garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 lb bow tie pasta
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cups fresh basil leaves, packed (about 4 ounces)
• 1 cup baby spinach, about 1 ounce (packed)
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 1/2 ounces parmesan cheese, grated (3/4 cup)
• 6 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered (optional) or 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved (optional)

Recipe

• 1 bring 4 quarts water to rolling boil in large pot. toast.
• 2 pine nuts in small dry skillet over medium heat, shaking pan occasionally, until just golden and fragrant, 4 to 5 minutes.
• 3 when water is boiling, add garlic and let cook 1 minute. remove.
• 4 garlic with slotted spoon and rinse under cold water to stop cooking;.
• 5 set aside to cool. add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta to water, stir.
• 6 to separate, and cook until tender (just past al dente). reserve ¼.
• 7 cup cooking water, drain pasta, toss with 1 tablespoon oil, spread in.
• 8 single layer on rimmed baking sheet, and cool to room temperature,.
• 9 about 30 minutes.
• 10 when garlic is cool, peel and mince or press through garlic.
• 11 press. place ¼ cup nuts, garlic, basil, spinach, pepper, lemon.
• 12 juice, remaining ¼ cup oil, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt in.
• 13 bowl of food processor and process until smooth, scraping sides of.
• 14 bowl as necessary. add cheese and mayonnaise and process until.
• 15 thoroughly combined. transfer mixture to large serving bowl. cover.
• 16 and refrigerate until ready to assemble salad.
• 17 when pasta is cool, toss with pesto, adding reserved pasta water,.
• 18 1 tablespoon at a time, until pesto evenly coats pasta. fold in remaining.
• 19 ½ cup nuts and tomatoes (if using); serve.