Recipes

Afrim’s Summer Pasta

By
Afrim Pristine

Published: 

Summer Pasta
Portions
Feeds approx. 4 to 6 people

Ingredients

For the Pesto:

  • 2 bunches fresh mint leaves
  • 1 cup walnuts
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil (or more if needed)
  • 3 large cloves garlic, smashed
  • ¼ teaspoon red chili pepper flakes, or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

For the Pasta:

  • 12 ounces dry penne pasta
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish
  • 1 large garlic clove, minced
  • 2 yellow zucchini
  • 1 cup fresh peas
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 2 tablespoons fresh mint, julienne
  • ¼ cup walnuts
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • ½ cup finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, plus more for garnish
  • 2 Tbsp chilled butter
  • Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Directions

  1. To make the pesto, blend together mint leaves, pistachios, garlic, chili flakes, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt, in a food processor. As you’re blending, slowly add the ½ cup of olive oil a couple of tablespoons at a time until you form a pesto. Put the pesto in the fridge while you prepare the rest of your ingredients.
  2. Cut the zucchini in half along its length. Run a spoon down the middle to remove the seeds. Bias cut the zucchini halves into strips.
  3. Cut the pepper in half and remove the seeds and ribs. Cut the pepper into long strips.
  4. To cook the penne, bring a large pot of salted water up to a boil. Add the pasta and cook to the manufacturer’s instructions. In the final minute of cooking the pasta, add the peas to the same pot. Drain the pasta with the peas and remove the pesto from the fridge
  5. In a large sauté pan, over medium-high heat, add 3 tablespoons olive oil and the minced garlic.
  6. Add the zucchini and peppers, and sauté the vegetables until just starting to become tender (about 2-3 minutes).
  7. Add the drained pasta and peas.
  8. Add the pesto.
  9. Add the lemon juice, grated Parmesan Cheese, and the butter.
  10. Add the julienne mint and pistachios.
  11. Mix everything together really well, and season with salt and pepper (as needed).
  12. Garnish with the remaining Parmesan Cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.