Tortellini with Fresh Basiul pesto
An easy 15 minute meal that is fresh and aromatic!
Servings 6 servings
Ingredients
- 2-3 small cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
- ⅓ cup pine nuts (plus more for garnish)
- ⅓ cup parmesan cheese, grated
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- sea salt and freshly gound black pepper, to taste
- 20 ounces fresh tortellini from the grocery store (different brands come in different sizes, get as close to 20 ounces as you can
- red pepper flakes (to taste)
Instructions
- Set a large pot of salted water on high heat and bring to a boil. Cook tortellini to package instructions. While water heats and pasta cooks, make pesto.
- Pulse garlic in food processor. Add basil leaves, pine nuts and parmesan. Puree in processor, slowly adding olive oil until desired consistency is achieved. Add a generous pinch of sea salt and a few turns of fresh pepper, scrape down sides of processor and process again adding more olive oil if necessary. Set aside.
- When pasta is done cooking, strain (do not rinse), place in a bowl, toss with pesto until pasta is covered to your liking. Add red pepper flakes if desired and garnish with added parmesan. Taste, add more sea salt id desired. Serve!
Notes
Pro tip: To save extra pesto, just place in a small dish, drizzle with olive oil to prevent oxidation and cover with lid or plastic. Keep in fridge for up to 5 days.