Ingredients:

  • 2 cups firmly packed fresh Genovese basil leaves
  • 1 cup fresh baby spinach leaves
  • 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
  • 2 medium garlic cloves
  • 1/3 cup high-quality extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
  • 1 lb dry fusilli or penne pasta
  • 1/2 cup reserved starchy pasta cooking water

Instructions:

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and salt it until it tastes like the sea.
  2. Drop your 1 lb of fusilli. Set your timer for 2 minutes less than the package directions. Cook 8-10 minutes until the pasta has a firm bite but no chalky center.
  3. Place the 1/3 cup pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat. Shake the pan constantly. Toast for 3 minutes until they are golden and smell like warm butter.
  4. In your chilled food processor, combine the basil, spinach, toasted nuts, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pulse 5-7 times until everything is coarsely chopped but not a paste.
  5. With the motor running on low, slowly stream in the 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil. Process for 15 seconds until the mixture looks glossy and uniform.
  6. Just before draining the pasta, carefully dip a measuring cup into the pot. Collect 1/2 cup of the cloudy, starchy water and set it aside.
  7. Add the 1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano and 1 teaspoon lemon juice to the processor. Pulse 2 more times until the cheese is just incorporated.
  8. Drain the pasta and return it to the warm (but not hot) pot. Add the pesto and half of the reserved pasta water. Toss vigorously for 1 minute until the sauce becomes creamy and clings to the spirals.
  9. If the pasta looks dry, add the remaining pasta water a tablespoon at a time. Serve immediately. The final dish should look coated in a bright green, velvety sheen.