Wild Garlic Pesto Pasta (Printable)
Fresh wild garlic pesto tossed with al dente pasta, pine nuts and Parmesan for a vibrant spring meal.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 14 oz dried spaghetti or linguine
02 - 1 tablespoon kosher salt, for pasta water
→ Wild Garlic Pesto
03 - 2.8 oz fresh wild garlic leaves, washed and patted dry
04 - 1 oz pine nuts (or walnuts)
05 - 1.75 oz freshly grated Parmesan cheese
06 - 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
07 - 1 small garlic clove, peeled (optional)
08 - Juice of 1/2 lemon
09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
→ Garnish
10 - Additional freshly grated Parmesan cheese
11 - Wild garlic leaves or edible flowers (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta through a colander.
02 - While the pasta cooks, combine the wild garlic leaves, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, garlic clove (if using), lemon juice, and a generous pinch each of salt and pepper in a food processor or blender. Blend until a smooth, vibrant green paste forms, scraping down the sides as needed. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking.
03 - Return the drained pasta to the pot. Immediately add the wild garlic pesto and toss vigorously to coat every strand. Splash in the reserved pasta water a little at a time until the sauce reaches a silky, clinging consistency that evenly coats the pasta.
04 - Divide the pesto pasta among warm serving bowls. Finish with an extra shower of grated Parmesan and scatter a few wild garlic leaves or edible flowers over each portion if desired. Serve right away while hot.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- Wild garlic pesto takes five minutes in a blender and tastes like spring captured in a jar.
- The whole dish comes together in the time it takes to boil pasta, which makes it perfect for weeknights when you want something beautiful without effort.
02 -
- Wild garlic season is maddeningly short, usually just April through May, so freeze leftover leaves in oil ice cube trays for a taste of spring all year.
- Adding the pesto off the heat preserves its vivid green color and fresh flavor, which is something I learned after serving a rather sad brownish plate once.
03 -
- Toasting the pine nuts in a dry pan for two minutes until golden transforms them from bland to deeply nutty and makes the whole pesto more complex.
- A tiny drizzle of olive oil on top of each plated serving keeps the pesto looking glossy and vibrant right through the last bite.