Pesto Pasta Salad And Basil Pesto

Pesto Pasta Salad

Pasta 1 pound (It is best to use a type of pasta you would usually use for salads, like Rotinni, Bow Tie, or Penne pasta.)

Salt 2 tablespoons

Basil Pesto [see below] 3/4 cup

Fresh Tomatoes diced 3/4 cup

Fresh Mozzarella cubed 1 cup

Green onion [tops only] 1/2 cup

Cook the pasta in boiling salted water till desired tenderness. Drain pasta, retain at least 1 cup of the still hot water. Put pesto in a large mixing bowl, add 1/2 cup of hot water to thin out the pesto.

Add still warm pasta and stir well, coating all of the pasta well. When pasta has cooled, add tomatoes and cheese. Instead of thinning Pesto with hot water, you can mix with about 1/2 cup each of Mayonnaise and Sour Cream for a creamy salad.

Basil Pesto

Garlic, 0.25 cup

Toast walnuts 0.5 cup

Pecarino 1 ounce

salt 1 teaspoon

Lemon Juice 0.33 cup

EVOO 0.5 cup

Italian Parsley 1 cup

Basil 4 cups packed

Load in Processor in the order above. Amounts are close, may need to adjust lemon, salt, oil to adjust tastes

Puree to coarse, you can still see nut, and cheese bits, but not too chunky.