Parsley Pesto Recipes

Pesto is a green- or red-colored sauce, that originated in Northern Italy. It is made with dry basil leaves, pine nuts, coarse salt, and grated cheese (or olive oil). Parsley, on the other hand, is a herb that is now popular as a spice. It is a common ingredient in Middle Eastern, European, American, and Italian cuisine. Parsley pesto sauce is used to enhance the taste of various Italian dishes like pasta, tacos, lasagna, and so on.

Ingredients

• Olive oil, 4 tbsp.
• Walnuts, 2 cups
• Grated Parmesan cheese, ½ cup
• Parsley, 1 small bunch
• Ramps (or green garlic), 1 small bunch
• Salt to taste

Preparation

• Toast the walnuts in a frying pan over a medium flame. Toss them around until they release their aroma.
• Boil a large kettle of salty water. Meanwhile, fill a separate bowl with ice-cold water.

• Cook the parsley in the boiling water for a minute, before submerging it in the cold water. Repeat this step for the ramp leaves, but boil them for only 30 seconds.
• Drain the water and dry both the parsley and ramp leaves by placing them on a kitchen towel; pat them dry with another towel.

• Finely chop the parsley, ramps, and walnuts, processing them in a food processor. Add the Parmesan cheese, salt, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil, to it, and continue blending the mixture for a few times.

• You can store this dish in the refrigerator for three days by applying a thin layer of olive oil on it. If you have any leftover sauce even after three days, make sure that you transfer it to a freezer.

Ingredients

• Italian pasta, 4 cups (rotini, mostaccioli, rigatoni, or fettuccine)
• Minced garlic cloves, 6
• Finely chopped basil, ½ cup
• Cream cheese, 4 oz.

• Low-fat cottage cheese, ½ cup
• Grated Parmesan cheese, ½ cup
• Olive oil, 3 tbsp.
• Fresh parsley chopped, ¼ cup

Preparation

• Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the pack. Drain the water and keep it aside.
• In a pan, heat the olive oil on medium heat and sauté the garlic and basil for 1 minute; stir them, frequently.

• Once the garlic turns light brown in color, lower the flame and add the cottage cheese, cream cheese, and Parmesan cheese, to it, and stir until smooth.

• Add the parsley and ½ a cup of water (or milk), to it. Cook this mixture for 3 minutes on a medium flame, stirring frequently. You can add more water or milk to reach the desired consistency.
• Pour the parsley pesto sauce over the pasta, and serve it with Parmesan cheese and French bread.