Pesto not dripping in oil
My mom makes a delicious basil pesto tortellini, yet it's a sin to eat as it's dripping in oil. But I can't stay away from the combined flavors of parmesan and garlic, two base ingredients in a pesto sauce. When I saw this healthier Broccoli Pesto recipe on YumSugar, I had to try it.
A couple nights ago I prepped and whirled all the ingredients in a food processor, then mixed the broccoli pesto sauce with al dente thin spaghetti. Not any boxed spaghetti -- I purchase multi-grain Barilla PLUS -- which is packed with protein, fiber and omega-3s. Beyond delicious, the recipe was a snap to prepare time-wise, and leftovers were polished off the next day.
I'll definitely make basil pesto sauce this summer, but I'm going to find a recipe with less oil. Until those basil seedlings mature, broccoli pesto is an excellent alternative. Here's the recipe ... add more or less garlic and parmesan to satisfy your palate:
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16 oz spaghetti or thin spaghetti
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16 oz fresh broccoli or 1 bag frozen chopped broccoli (I'm a fresh fan)
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1 cup chicken or veggie broth
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1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
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2 T olive oil, 1 garlic clove, 1/4 tsp salt and coarsely ground black pepper
Boil pasta, blanch fresh broccoli in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Blend broccoli, broth, cheese, olive oil, garlic and salt in food processor with knife blade attached. Drain pasta and toss with broccoli pesto. Before twirling your fork, sprinkle with pepper (and more parmesan) if you like. Serve with a salad and bread or enjoy solo!
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
4-11-2008 @ 4:18PM
Donna said...
The way I make my pesto healthy and still keep that wonderful basil flavor is to use 3/4 spinach and 1/4 basil. I also use toasted walnuts instead of pinenuts. You only need enough oil to make it a nice consistency, and use a good quality olive oil. Olive oil is a good fat.
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4-11-2008 @ 8:55PM
Bev Sklar said...
Donna,
Never thought of mixing spinach with basil -- thanks for the idea!
Bev
4-14-2008 @ 8:19PM
Amanda said...
I make a great pesto with basil, parsley, thyme, lime, garlic, and minimal olive oil. The measurements are to your particular desire, we like it with a ton of garlic. It is fresh and flavorful without all the oil. Chop it in the food processor and you are ready to go.
Next time I will have to add some spinach and see how it goes.
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