Fusilli with Arugula Pesto and Sun Dried Tomatoes

Fusilli with arugula pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, and shaved pecorino on blue plate.

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Fusilli with Arugula Pesto and Sun Dried Tomatoes

Arugula pesto is a vibrant peppery variation of the traditional basil pesto. It is a versatile sauce that is excellent for pastas, sandwiches, or grilled vegetables or meats.

Prep Time10

Total Time10

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Maryanne Cabrera

Ingredients

Arugula Pesto:

3 whole garlic cloves peeled
½ cup pine nuts , lightly toasted
4 cups arugula* packed
½ cup parmesan cheese
5 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
juice from 1 lemon
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
kosher salt, to taste

Remaining components:

16 oz dry fusilli pasta
1 cup reserved pasta cooking water
6 Tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
⅓ cup sun-dried tomatoes coarsely chopped
shaved pecorino romano cheese to garnish

Instructions

Fill a large pot with water. Salt to taste. Bring to a boil.
In a food processor, mince garlic. Add toasted pine nuts and 1 cup of arugula. Pulse machine until arugula has broken down. Continue to add arugula in batches until finely minced. Add grated parmesan cheese.
With the food processor running, add the olive oil in a steady, slow stream. Scrape down bowl as needed to ensure even mixture. Add lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Continue to process until mixture is smooth
Cook fusilli in the boiling salted water according to package directions. Before draining pasta, reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
In a large saute pan, toss the cooked pasta with arugula pesto. Add grated parmesan cheese. Add enough of the reserved pasta water to thin out pesto into a nice cream sauce. Toss until combined. Season with black pepper, to taste. Divide pasta into servings. Top with chopped sun-dried tomatoes and shaved pecorino romano cheese.

Notes

Walnuts may be used in place of pine nuts.
This recipe works with any variety of arugula. Keep in mind that each variety has distinct flavors. Wild arugula and wild rocket arugula are known for its strong, pepper flavor. Common arugula, the version most commonly found in grocery stores, has a mild, slightly nuttier flavor compared to wild arugula.

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