Name: Linguine with Pesto di Prezzemolo
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: ItalianEurope
Ingredients: 2 ounces Parmesan cheese, plus grated Parmesan for serving; 3 ounces fresh parsley leaves (about 5 cups); 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil; 1 cup walnuts; 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed; 2 tablespoons lemon juice; 2 garlic cloves, peeled; 2 anchovy fillets, rinsed (optional); 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes; 1/2 teaspoon table salt, plus salt for cooking pasta; 1/4 teaspoon pepper; 1 pound linguine

Why This Recipe Works

Knowing that pesto makes the perfect sauce for a comforting pasta dinner, we developed our Pesto di Prezzemolo (Parsley Pesto) recipe to yield the exact amount needed to sauce a pound of pasta. For a sauce that would cling to the noodles rather than slip off and pool at the bottom of the bowl, we reserved ¾ cup of the starchy pasta cooking water to toss with the pesto and pasta. We served the pasta immediately to prevent it from drying out (and cooling off) as it sat.

Before You Begin

Use a rasp-style grater to grate the Parmesan for serving.

Instructions

Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot.

Meanwhile, process Parmesan in food processor until finely ground, about 30 seconds; transfer to medium bowl. Process parsley; oil; walnuts; capers; lemon juice; garlic; anchovies, if using; pepper flakes; salt; and pepper until smooth, about 1 minute, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Transfer pesto to bowl with Parmesan and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt to boiling water and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve ¾ cup cooking water, then drain pasta and transfer to large bowl. Add pesto and ½ cup reserved cooking water to pasta and toss to combine. Season with salt to taste. Adjust consistency with remaining reserved cooking water as needed. Serve immediately, passing grated Parmesan separately.