Cultivating Sustainability

This delicious pasta makes the perfect summer meal – light, but hearty enough to be filling. The potatoes add a nice, unexpected texture. (*Indicates Potomac Vegetable Farm (PVF) produce. For more information about what we are doing with our PVF CSA share, click here.)

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups (packed) fresh basil leaves*
• 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup pine nuts
• 3 tbsp walnuts
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1 medium onion, chopped*
• 1 medium zucchini, sliced*
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 8 oz fingerling potatoes*
• 12 oz pasta, such as gemelli, cooked

DIRECTIONS

1. Blend basil, 1/4 cup oil, pine nuts, walnuts and garlic cloves in a food processor until finely chopped. Add grated parmesan. With machine running, gradually blend in remaining oil. Set pesto aside.
2. Cook potatoes in a pressure cooker, according to your pressure cooker’s directions (or add potatoes to boiling water and boil until tender, about 7 minutes). Set potatoes aside.
3. In a large pan, saute onion and zucchini in 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil until tender.
4. Combine cooked pasta, potatoes, zucchini and onions. Add a out 1/2 to 3/4 of the pesto and toss to coat (reserve remaining pesto for another use).
5. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately in large past bowls, and top each dish with 3-5 bocconcini (small nuggets of fresh mozzarella).