Recipe for cooking garlicky pesto pasta salad

Super Salad Recipes :: Pasta Salads

Garlicky Pesto Pasta Salad

1 C. tightly packed fresh basil
3 cloves garlic
1/4 C. raw pine nuts
1/4 C. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 C. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
8 oz. orzo pasta
1/2 lb. ripe cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 C. pine nuts, toasted
Freshly ground coarse black pepper to taste
Fresh chopped basil to taste

In a food processor, Mix together the packed basil, garlic, raw pine nuts and oil and puree until a uniform sauce results. Scrape the mixture into a bowl and stir in the grated cheese. Set aside.

Bring a lrg. pot of salted water to a boil and cook the orzo until tender. Drain well, rinse, drain again and place in a lrg. bowl. Toss with a couple of Tbsp. of the reserved pesto dressing, or more to taste. Reserve any leftover pesto for another use.

To serve, add the tomatoes and toasted pine nuts to the salad, toss with more pesto dressing and black pepper to taste, and scatter with fresh basil.