Pasta with Peas & Pesto

🥘 Ingredients

• pine nuts ¾ cup
• garlic cloves 2
• medium lemon 1
• fresh basil leaves or flat-leaf parsley 4 cup
• kosher salt ½ tsp
• Freshly
• nutritional yeast or vegan parmesan 2-4 tbsp
• extra virgin olive oil 6 tbsp
• A pinch of organic cane sugar
• cavatappi pasta 12 oz
• fresh English peas 8-10 oz
• fat garlic clove 1
• medium lemon 1
• red pepper flakes or Aleppo pepper 1-2 tsp
• extra virgin olive oil 1 tbsp
• Flaky

1. 1

   For the basil pesto, divided: pine nuts , garlic cloves , medium lemon , fresh basil leaves or flat-leaf parsley , kosher salt , Freshly cracked black pepper, nutritional yeast or vegan parmesan , extra virgin olive oil , A pinch of organic cane sugar , cavatappi pasta , fresh English peas . For the lemon-garlic topping: fat garlic clove , medium lemon , red pepper flakes or Aleppo pepper , extra virgin olive oil . For the for serving:: Flaky sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
2. 2

   Toast the pine nuts. Heat a large frying pan over medium-low for a few minutes. Once hot, add the pine nuts and toss occasionally to prevent burning, until golden brown and nutty in aroma, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Reserve 1/4 cup of the toasted pine nuts; once cool, store in an airtight bag or jar in the pantry to use in the Creamy Pesto Beans.
3. 3

   Bring a large pot of water to a boil for pasta. Meanwhile, make the Basil Pesto. Roughly chop the garlic. Zest then juice the lemon. Add the remaining 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts to a food processor with the garlic. Pulse into a fine crumb (but not a paste). Add the basil, lemon zest, 2 tbsp lemon juice, salt, pepper to taste, and nutritional yeast. Blend until a paste forms, scraping down the sides as you go. Push the paste into the middle of the food processor. With the motor running, stream in the olive oil. Blend until mostly smooth, scraping down the sides periodically. Taste, adding more salt or lemon juice as desired. If your basil isn’t best-quality, add a pinch of sugar as needed. For additional richness, stream in more oil. For a smoother texture without adding more oil, add 1 tbsp of water and blend (don’t add too much water, as it will water down the flavor). Store 1/4 cup of the pesto for the Creamy Pesto Beans in a sealed jar or airtight container in the fridge for about 1 week. Use the remaining pesto (a heaping 2/3 cup) in this recipe.
4. 4

   Cook the pasta (and peas). Once the water is boiling, salt it generously. Add the pasta and cook according to the box’s instructions for al dente. If using fresh peas, add them during the last 6 minutes of the pasta’s timer. Set a measuring cup in a colander in the sink. Before draining, reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water. Drain the pasta (and peas) in a colander but do not rinse. If using frozen peas or edamame, cook them using the microwave instructions on the back of the bag.
5. 5

   While the pasta cooks, prep the Lemon-Garlic Topping. In a small bowl, whisk together the grated garlic, lemon zest, 1 tbsp lemon juice, red pepper flakes if using, and olive oil.
6. 6

   Add the pasta and peas to the pot used to cook the pasta. Add the reserved 2/3 cup Basil Pesto, the Lemon-Garlic Topping, and a splash of pasta water. Toss with a silicone spatula to coat well, adding more pasta water as needed to bring everything together (see Note). Taste, adding a drizzle of olive oil for richness or a squeeze of lemon juice for tang.
7. 7

   Divide the pasta among bowls. Top with fresh basil leaves (if using). Season with a pinch of flaky salt and pepper to taste.