Creamy Basil Pesto Spagetti Sauce

Intro: Creamy Basil Pesto Spagetti Sauce

This recipe requires frozen basil pesto sauce made in advance according to the first video. The pesto can be made in larger quantities and stored for long periods for many quick meals at later times. The sauce is created with the spagetti in the pot immediately after the spagetti has been cooked and drained. It is important to add cold water in small amounts while stirring the frozen pesto cubes and cooked spagetti so the mixture temperature remains below the melting point of the parmisan cheese in the pesto. If the mixture is too hot the cheese will melt and coagulate into one large ball around the spoon (yuk). The method creates a creamy texture to the pesto sauce, much sought after in high end restaurants.

STEP 1: Step 1: Making Frozen Basil Pesto in Advance

Cheap fresh basil usually comes in large bunches at farm stands and in grocery store produce departments. Freezing the pesto allows all the fresh basil to be preserved in an air tight environment with sufficient olive oil (cut basil oxidizes quickly in ambient air).

1 pound fresh cut basil (with stems)

4 oz toasted pignoli nuts

1/4 pound parmesan cheese (grana padana is ok)

1 teaspoon garlic (ready to use chopped garlic in a jar is ok)

1 cup olive oil

Put container of pesto in freezer.

STEP 2: Step 2: Quick Creamy Pesto Spagetti Sauce

1/4 pound frozen basil pesto

1/2 cup cold water

1/2 pound freshly cooked and drained spagetti

While the spagetti is cooking cut the frozen basil pesto into 1/2 inch cubes. Drain the spagetti and return it to the still hot pot it was cooked in. Add the frozen basil pesto and 1/4 cup of the cold water. Stir swiftly mixing the spagetti with the pesto. Try and keep the frozen pesto cubes separate as they thaw. Continue to stir constantly until there is no more frozen pesto chunks. If the sauce looks too thick add the rest of the cold water and continue stirring until the sauce achieves an even texture. Serve immediately.

Comments

[Phoenix Flare]

Yum! My mouth is watering at the thought! Love spaghetti, and it looks divine

[sharksin]

some tips from Italy:
- if you want to freeze pesto you can avoid cheese and add it right after you melted it with the pasta;
- you can freeze it in small size plastic cup so that you will have to unfreeze just the quantity you need

have a nice meal ;)

[wilgubeast]

This is an awesome approach to pesto distribution! Accreted cheese is gross. Way to make a go of artfully photographing pesto. :)

Try the method that AngryRedhead mentioned in one of her awesome photo tutorials: balance the look with a glass of ice water.