Creamy Pesto Pasta Salad

Here’s a delicious pasta salad to add to your culinary repertoire. The recipe makes a ton and stores well for several days in the fridge so you can easily make it ahead. The flavor of this salad is best served slightly warm or at room temperature - enjoy!

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• pesto https://amzn.to/39rf9YY

• pasta https://amzn.to/3zEj5QW

• pine nuts https://amzn.to/39uAHnB

• Duke’s mayonnaise https://amzn.to/3xQF19Z

• large mixing bowl https://amzn.to/3tBrelc

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Creamy Pesto Pasta Salad

makes enough to feed a crowd

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 pound pasta (shapes that work well are gemelli, fusili, rotini, penne)

• 3/4 cup prepared pesto (about 6 ounces)

• 1/2 cup real mayonnaise (we love Duke’s)

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 2 cups frozen peas, thawed

• 2 cups asparagus tips, cooked

• 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

• Optional: 3/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

• Garnish: chopped fresh chives

Directions

1. Cook pasta in salted water until al dente; drain and set aside until needed.

2. In a very large mixing bowl (6-quart or larger), whisk together the pesto, mayo, and salt.

3. Add the cooked pasta, peas, asparagus, chickpeas, pine nuts, and chives; mix well and serve immediately..

adapted from The Cookie Rookie

Notes

• My favorite store-bought pesto is Kirkland brand from Costco. It’s made with D.O.P. Genovese Basil imported from Italy. But if you prefer to use homemade, check out my recipe here.

• Feel free to use any pasta you like, but I prefer shapes that are 1 to 2 inches in length (roughly the same size of the asparagus tips).

Amaretti Gelato

I once had a friend who liked to say she “didn’t like crunchy with her smooth”. I must admit, I love crunchy with my smooth. I also love Amaretti so this silky smooth vanilla gelato with crunchy bits of amaretti are a symphony of texture and flavor in my mouth. I hope you agree.

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• Lazzaroni Amaretti Cookies https://amzn.to/3jJkoET

• mesh sieve https://amzn.to/3jN1MUA

• my favorite ice cream/gelato maker https://amzn.to/3KPyFvO

• budget ice cream/gelato maker https://amzn.to/3uM56ph

• pure vanilla bean paste https://amzn.to/3LtVPr1

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Amaretti Gelato

makes 6 servings

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 960g cups whole milk (4 cups)

• 120g egg yolks (about 6)

• 300g granulated sugar

• 1 teaspoon (5ml) pure vanilla bean paste

• 150g amaretti cookies, crumbled

• additional amaretti crumbles for serving

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar; set aside.

2. In a 6-quart or larger sauce pan, bring milk to a boil; remove from heat.

3. Quickly whisk about 1/4 of the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture, then pour the egg and milk mixture into the saucepan that contains the remaining hot milk.

4. Return saucepan to heat and bring back to a boil; boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

5. Strain mixture through a fine sieve and stir in vanilla bean paste; cool completely in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, but 24 hours is best (don’t add the crumbled amaretti cookies yet).

6. Process the chilled gelato base in ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions; add crumbled amaretti a couple of minutes before churning is complete.

Notes

• Use a larger saucepan that you think you’ll need because boiling milk will easily boil over the sides of a smaller saucepan.

• For extra crunch, serve with extra crumbled amaretti.

adapted from Lazzaroni Amaretti