Spaghetti with Basil Pesto

What’s green, goopy and delicious? Fresh pesto, of course! This versatile summer staple is great on pasta and super fun to make together. This recipe comes to us from our friends at School Nutrition Plus and appears in their new cookbook, A Chef Walks Into a Cafeteria…

Serves 7

Cooking Tip of the Week: Basil is most flavorful when used fresh. It loses much of its flavor when cooked or used as a dried herb.

Food for Thought: Basil is a bushy herb with a wonderful smell. It is very common in Italian recipes, but it is actually from Africa and Southeast Asia! Did you know that basil is cousins with several other great-smelling herbs, including mint, oregano and lavender? There are also many varieties of basil with unique scents and flavors, including cinnamon, licorice and lemon. Give your basil a big whiff when you cook with it, we think you’ll love the smell!

Family Dinner Conversation Starter: What was the best smell that you ever smelled? And…what was the worst smell you ever smelled?

Ingredients:

• For the Pesto:
• 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 garlic cloves
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• For the Pasta:
• 4-6 quarts water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 pound whole-grain spaghetti
• 3/4 cup half-and-half

Directions:

For the Pesto:

Kid: Place basil, Parmesan, salt, pepper, and garlic in blender.

Together: Slowly add 3/4 cup oil as blender is running. Blend 1 minute or until smooth.

For the Pasta:

Adult: Bring 4 to 6 quarts water to a boil in a pot. Add 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon oil to water before boiling.

Adult: Cook spaghetti 6 minutes or until al dente.

Adult: While pasta is cooking, heat a medium sauté pan over medium heat and add the pesto sauce.
Slowly whisk in the half-and-half. Whisk until well incorporated.

Together: Drain spaghetti and toss into pan with pesto.