I am a connoisseur of pesto pasta. It is an old standby. Reliable. I always have the ingredients for pesto pasta on hand, and it can be dinner in a pinch. But for all its reliability, it can really have a range. And the kind of pesto pasta I throw together when there’s no other food in the house is pretty sub-standard. Pasta, a glob of pesto, and probably some microwave meatballs. It’s okay. But sometimes the pesto isn’t warm and it doesn’t incorporate into the pasta evenly, and it’s just not everything it could be.

This pasta is about making a pesto pasta that is everything that it can be. Ditalini is a new pasta to me, but it’s perfect for pesto. Each noodle gets fully coated by the pesto, and some of the pistachio or parmesan chunks get stuck in the noodle. The pesto is applied liberally, and mixed with a bit of butter and leftover pasta broth, it makes a perfect, pesto-forward sauce. The ditalini is just a vehicle. A perfect partnership.

I could honestly just keep all the ingredients for this on hand, it is simple enough. It takes only about 10 more minutes than my normal sad pesto spaghetti and meatballs. Maybe this will be a new life hack for me. I’ll never have a sad pesto again!

I will say, a big part of what makes this great is the homemade pesto. I use this recipe for pistachio pesto, and honestly once you make your own… then all store bought pesto is a bit of a letdown. So if I want to make this pasta a lot, I’ll have to be more regular about making my homemade pesto. But my basil plant has been very bountiful recently, so it shouldn’t be too hard!

Ditalini Pasta with Pistachio Pesto

Author: Audrey

Description

Makes 3-4 servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves minced
1.5 cups dry (uncooked) ditalini pasta
2.5 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons butter unsalted
1/2 cup pesto (I use homemade pistachio pesto, this recipe)
salt & pepper to taste
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

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Instructions

First, prepare your pesto if making homemade pesto.
Sauté garlic in a large, wide skillet on medium heat for a minute or two, then add the uncooked ditalini pasta and broth. Add salt & pepper to taste. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil.
Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer and stir often, making sure the pasta is in an even level. Simmer for approximately 15 minutes, or until the majority of the liquid is absorbed. Then add the butter, pesto, and parmesan cheese.
Once the butter and cheese has dissolved, taste for any needed salt, pepper, or extra parmesan cheese. Serve immediately and enjoy