Trenette al Pesto | Luca Pasta

Trenette al pesto oin pot topped with grated parmesan.

5 from 1 vote

Trenette al Pesto | Luca Pasta

Trenette al Pesto (pasta with potatoes, green beans and pesto) is a dish that originated in Liguria, Italy, and also know as the pasta served in the animated Pixar film Luca. Pesto is also from Liguria, so you can imagine that this pasta really lets the pesto shine. Trenette pasta is long and flat, similar to linguine, but slightly wider. Combined with tender potatoes, crisp green beans, and lots of fresh homemade pesto, this is classic Italian comfort food at its best, packed with flavor and texture. You can also make the dish without the potatoes.

Prep Time20

Cook Time15

Course: pasta

Cuisine: Italian

Servings:

Calories: 273kcal

Author: Kathy Kingsley

Ingredients

Classic Pesto

3 cups packed basil leaves
¼ cup ice water
1 to 2 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
½ cup pine nuts
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, preferably Parmigiano Reggiano
Kosher salt
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, preferably fruity

Trenette Pasta

1 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes, about 2 large, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks (optional)
½ lb. thin green beans, cut into 2-inch lengths
12 oz. dried trenette, linguine or fettuccine pasta
Freshly ground black pepper
Grated Parmesan cheese, preferably Parmigiano Reggiano

Instructions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Make the pesto: Combine the basil, ice water, garlic, pine nuts, cheese, and 1 tsp. salt in the bowl of a food processor. Blend until the basil is coarsely puréed, scraping down the sides and adding more water to facilitate blending only if needed. With the processor running, add the oil through the feed tube in a steady stream until the pesto looks creamy and emulsified. Scrape the pesto into a bowl , taste and add more salt if needed, and set aside
Make the pasta: Add the potatoes to the boiling water and boil 3 minutes. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente, about 11 minutes or according to package directions. Add the green beans to the boiling water 3 minutes before the pasta is done cooking. Drain well, then transfer the mixture to a bowl, or back to the pot.
Pour the pesto over pasta and vegetables and toss to coat. Taste and season with more kosher salt and pepper as needed. Serve topped with more grated Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil.

Notes

You can store pesto in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. To refrigerate, transfer the pesto to an airtight container and pour enough oil over it to create a thin layer. This will prevent the pesto from oxidizing and changing color.
To freeze the pesto: omit the oil layer and portion the pesto into small plastic freezer bags or ice cube trays so you can defrost only as much as you’ll use at one time. If using ice cube trays, freeze until solid, and then transfer the cubes to a plastic freezer bag for storage. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator.

Nutrition