This classic pesto pasta dish is quick and easy to make, and can be easily adapted to suit your taste. It can be served as a main course or as a side dish, and goes well with a variety of other foods. If you are looking for a healthier option, you can substitute the pasta for whole wheat pasta or quinoa.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup pesto
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 pound pasta
Method
- In a large pot, bring water to a boil and cook pasta according to package instructions.
- In a bowl, mix together pesto, olive oil, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.
- Drain pasta and return it to the pot. Add the pesto mixture and stir until well combined.
- Serve immediately.
Potential changes & improvements
There are many ways you can change and improve this dish to suit your taste. For a more flavourful dish, you could add garlic or sun-dried tomatoes to the pesto mixture. If you want a more filling meal, you could add chicken or shrimp. You could also use different types of pasta, such as fusilli or penne.
What other food it works well with
This dish goes well with a variety of other foods. Try serving it with a side of garlic bread or a green salad. For a more filling meal, you could serve it with chicken or shrimp.
Common Mistakes
One common mistake people make when making this dish is using too much pesto. This can make the dish too oily and heavy. Another mistake is not stirring the pesto mixture well enough, which can result in an uneven distribution of flavour. Finally, people often forget to season the dish with salt and pepper, which can make it taste bland.
Nutritional Information
This dish is high in calories and fat. Each serving contains approximately:
- 500 calories
- 25 grams of fat
- 10 grams of saturated fat
- 40 grams of carbohydrates
- 4 grams of sugar
- 15 grams of protein
This dish contains the following allergens:
- Pesto (contains nuts)
- Olive oil
- Parmesan cheese