Best Fusilli With Spicy Pesto Recipes

FUSILLI WITH SPINACH WALNUT PESTO

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for pasta.
• Pulse the spinach, basil, walnuts, garlic, and salt in a food processor. Pour in 1 1/2 cups of the olive oil in a slow, steady stream. Process to make a smooth paste, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Pour the fusilli into the boiling water, and cook until al dente. Scrape half of the pesto into a large skillet, and add 1 cup pasta water (no need to heat the sauce). Use a spider to drain the pasta and transfer to the skillet. Toss to coat the pasta with the pesto. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Toss with the grated cheese and serve.
• notes
• You can freeze the remaining half of the pesto for future use. Just pack it into a plastic container and pour a thin film of olive oil over the top. Thaw in refrigerator before using. Or you can cut the recipe in half, if you just want enough for 1 pound of pasta.

FUSILLI WITH ARUGULA PESTO AND CRISPY PANCETTA

Steps:

• Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until crispy, 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside on a paper towel-lined plate.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare an ice water bath. Stir the arugula into the boiling water and cook until it is bright green and tender, about 15 seconds. Remove the arugula directly to the ice bath and let cool completely, then drain, gently squeeze out the excess water and set aside. Do the same for the basil. Once the arugula and basil are blanched, cook the pasta in the boiling water until al dente.
• Meanwhile, make the pesto. Add the arugula and basil to a food processor and blend until mostly pureed, about 30 seconds. Add oil, pine nuts, garlic and salt and pepper and puree for another 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the cheese and pulse, drizzling more oil as desired, until combined but not fully pureed, another 30 seconds. (See Cook's Note.)
• Place the pesto and butter in a large bowl and add drained pasta to the bowl, reserving some pasta water to thin the sauce as desired. Mix the pesto and pasta, season to taste and crumble the slices of crispy pancetta on top. Serve with extra grated Pecorino and a drizzle of olive oil.

FUSILLI WITH TOMATO PESTO

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Toast the almonds in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-low heat until lightly browned and starting to crackle, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a food processor; reserve the skillet. Add the basil and garlic to the food processor, season with salt and pepper and pulse until finely chopped. Add the tomatoes, olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt and process until mostly smooth. Transfer the pesto to a large bowl and stir in the Parmesan.
• Salt the boiling water, add the pasta and cook as the label directs for al dente. Reserve 1/3 cup cooking water, then drain. Add the pasta to the bowl with the pesto and toss well to coat, adding splashes of the reserved cooking water as needed to loosen. Season with salt and pepper.
• While the pasta cooks, cook the bacon in the reserved skillet over medium heat, stirring, until crisp, about 3 minutes. Add the panko and continue to cook, stirring, until golden and crisp, 1 more minute. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
• Divide the pasta among bowls. Top with the bacon-panko mixture and sprinkle with Parmesan and sliced basil.

PESTO WITH FUSILLI

Steps:

• Bring a pot of water to a boil, add pasta, and cook to al dente.
• In a food processor, combine basil and pine nuts, and blend. Add the garlic and drizzle in the olive oil while the processor is in operation. When the mixture turns to a paste, add the salt, pepper, and Parmesan, and pulse until well blended.
• To serve, simply combine the pasta and pesto together, and sprinkle Parmesan on top.