Pesto Pasta with Pine Nut Breadcrumbs
bucatini pasta tossed in a vibrant pesto sauce with crispy pine nut breadcrumbs over top
servings: 4-6
Ingredients
Scale
Pine Nut Breadcrumbs
- 2 oz fresh ciabatta bread, roughly torn into pieces
- ¼ cup + 2 tbsp pine nuts
- olive oil
- kosher salt
Pesto Pasta
- 4 packed cups fresh basil (approx. 2 oz)
- 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp honey
- ½ cup olive oil
- freshly cracked black pepper
- ¾ lb bucatini
- 4 tbsp butter
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- extra basil and grated parmesan, for topping
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- For the breadcrumbs, pulse the bread in a food processor until finely chopped. Add the ¼ cup of pine nuts. Continue to pulse until crumbs are formed. Heat a 12” skillet over medium-low heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of pine nuts and toast until lightly browned, 6-8 minutes, stirring often. Transfer the nuts out of the skillet and set aside.
- Add enough olive oil to the skillet to generously coat the bottom. Once hot, add the breadcrumb mixture to the oil. Toast for about 6 minutes, stirring often, until golden and crisp. Transfer the crumbs to a plate lined with a paper towel (reserve the skillet). Season with a pinch of salt.
- For the pesto pasta, add the basil, garlic, parmesan, lemon zest, lemon juice, and honey to a food processor. Pulse to combine. With the processor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until smooth. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Drop the bucatini in the boiling water. Stir well and cook for 2 minutes less than the package’s instructions.
- Wipe out the skillet and return it to medium heat. Add the butter and let it melt. Pour in the cream and a ¼ cup of starchy pasta water. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 2 minutes to thicken.
- Drain the pasta and add it straight to the sauce, along with the pesto. Stir for a couple of minutes until the sauce clings to the pasta. Season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.
- Plate the pasta with the breadcrumbs, lots of parmesan cheese, and fresh basil over top.