Tineke “Tini” Younger’s Pesto Pasta

Ingredients

• 2 cups 00 flour (Plus more as needed for dusting; the extra amount is unspecified.)
• 3 large eggs (At room temperature.)
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 0.5 tsp kosher salt
• 0.333 cup pine nuts (About 1 ½ ounces as stated in the source.)
• 4 cups fresh basil leaves (Lightly packed.)
• 2 garlic cloves (Peeled.)
• 1 oz Parmesan cheese (Finely grated; about ½ cup as stated in the source.)
• 0.5 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 0.5 tsp lemon zest (Grated.)
• 2 tsp lemon juice (Freshly squeezed; add up to 2 tsp more to taste (4 tsp total stated maximum).)
• 0.75 tsp kosher salt (The source text runs this directly into the pepper quantity; interpreted as ¾ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper.)
• 0.25 tsp freshly ground black pepper (Interpreted from the source’s “¾ teaspoon kosher salt¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.”)

Steps

1. 1

   Pile the flour on a clean work surface or in a large bowl. Shape it into a mound and make a well in the center.

2. 2

   Add the eggs, olive oil, and salt to the well. Beat the eggs with a fork to break up the yolks, then gradually draw in flour until the mixture becomes shaggy.

3. 3

   When the dough is too firm to work with a fork, use your hands to gather it into a ball. Knead by pushing it forward with the heel of your hand, turning it a quarter-turn, and repeating until smooth, soft, and supple, about 5 minutes. Dust the surface lightly with additional flour if the dough sticks; avoid adding so much that it becomes hard to knead. The dough should spring back when gently pressed.

4. 4

   Divide the dough in half and shape each piece into a flat square. Wrap each in plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours. Alternatively, refrigerate tightly wrapped for up to 1 day and bring back to room temperature before rolling.

5. 5

   Lightly flour the work surface. Keep one dough piece covered while rolling the other into a rectangle about 20 × 12 inches, thin enough that the outline of your palm is visible through it. A pasta maker or stand-mixer pasta roller may be used instead: cut the dough halves into quarters and pass the dough through each setting twice, up to setting 7.

6. 6

   For lasagna sheets, cut the rolled dough into 13-inch-long sheets. Dust them with flour and transfer them to floured baking sheets so they do not stick.

7. 7

   For fettuccine, lightly dust the rolled rectangle with flour if it feels tacky, and cut it into manageable pieces if needed. Slice it into long strands about ¼ inch thick with a sharp knife or pizza cutter, or use a fettuccine attachment. Transfer the noodles to a baking sheet, toss gently with a little flour, and let them fall into a small nest. Repeat the rolling and cutting with the second piece of dough.

8. 8

   Put the pine nuts in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat. Toast for 4–5 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until lightly browned and fragrant.

9. 9

   Immediately transfer the toasted pine nuts to a bowl to stop carryover cooking, then set them aside to cool.

10. 10

    Rinse the basil in cool water and shake it mostly dry, leaving some water clinging to the leaves.

11. 11

    Put the basil, garlic, Parmesan, and cooled pine nuts in a food processor. Pulse for 20–30 seconds, until finely minced.

12. 12

    With the processor running, drizzle in the olive oil and blend until mostly smooth and emulsified, with a few chunks remaining.

13. 13

    Add the lemon zest, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Pulse a few times to combine.

14. 14

    Taste the pesto and add more lemon juice and/or salt as needed.

15. 15

    Transfer the pesto to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 week. For a brighter green color during storage, drizzle a thin coating of olive oil over the top.

Notes

The source supplies pasta dough and pesto instructions but does not specify how to cook the pasta, how much pesto to use, or how to combine them for serving. The pasta dough can be refrigerated, tightly wrapped, for up to 1 day; the pesto keeps refrigerated for up to 1 week. The source’s pesto ingredient text appears run together at the salt/pepper boundary; the quantities are interpreted as ¾ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

Nutrition per serving

• pasta
• Italian
• homemade
• vegetarian
• fresh basil
• from scratch