Trofie al Pesto Rosso Trofie with Red Pesto

25min · Difficulty: easy

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Portofino is famous for the green pesto. The red version comes from the same coast. Pesto rosso is built on sun-dried tomatoes rather than basil, concentrated and intense where genovese is grassy and fresh. Same olive oil, different character.

It works well with trofie because the tight spirals hold the sauce. Pine nuts add texture. A handful of arugula at the end keeps it from being too rich. Ready in the time it takes to boil the pasta.

Trofie al Pesto Rosso plated, with the Gusta trofie pasta alongside

Ingredients

Equipment

Preparation

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Season generously with salt.
  2. Toast the pine nuts in a small dry skillet over medium heat, stirring often, for 2 to 3 minutes until golden. Set aside.
  3. Cook the trofie for 18 minutes. Reserve 4 tbsp of pasta water, then drain.
  4. Transfer the trofie to a large bowl off the heat. Add the Gusta Pesto Rosso and toss to coat, adding pasta water a tablespoon at a time to loosen the sauce.
  5. Divide between plates. Scatter the pine nuts on top and finish with a small handful of arugula and a grind of black pepper.
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Chef's note

Pesto rosso is more acidic than genovese, which means it takes a small amount of Parmigiano without getting too rich. Shave a little over the top if you want more body. The arugula is not decorative: its bitterness cuts through the concentrated sun-dried tomato.

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