Pecan Pesto with Garlicky Breadcrumbs
One of the BEST pasta recipes ever! Recipe from Southern Living May 2017.
- Prep Time: 25
- Cook Time: 8
- Total Time: 33 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
1 12 ounce box Classic Angel Hair Pasta Nests (or 12–16 ounces of long pasta, like thin spaghetti)
3 cups loosely packed basil leaves
3 cups loosely packed flat leaf parsley
6 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1 1/2 cups), plus more for serving!
1 cup olive oil (I tend to use a lighter one, not too strong)
1/2 cup pecan halves
3 T. fresh lemon juice ( about 2 lemons)
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 t. kosher salt
2 T. unsalted butter
Garlicky Breadcrumbs
4 cloves garlic
5 oz. sourdough bread or other crusty bread, crust removed, torn/cut into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
Zest of 2 lemons (original recipe called for one…)
1/2 t. kosher salt
1/4 t. black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
Instructions
Garlicky Breadcrumbs
I make these first and also these can be made ahead of time.
Pulse garlic cloves in food processor until finely chopped. Add bread and lemon zest and pulse until coarse crumbs form. Stir in salt and pepper.
Heat oil in large pan over medium heat. Add breadcrumb mixture and cook, stirring, until golden brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer crumbs to a small bowl.
Pecan Pesto
Place basil, parsley, Parmesan, pecans, lemon juice, garlic, and salt into a food processor. Pulse a few times and see ingredients come together. Add olive oil slowly and process until pesto is smooth. You may need to stop and scrape down sides of processor during process.
Cook pasta in lot of salted water, according to package directions.
Drain, reserving 1 1/2 cups of cooking water.
Transfer pasta to large serving bowl. Add pesto and butter to hot pasta. Toss gently until pasta is coated. Stir in cooking water 1/4 cup at a time, until sauce reached desired consistency. Discard any remaining pasta water.
Top with Garlicky Breadcrumbs and more fresh Parmesan! Also can top with fresh chopped tomatoes and extra toasted chopped pecans!
Find it online: https://pastashoppe.com/pecan-pesto-garlicky-breadcrumbs/