Some of the agretti recently purchased from Novella’s vegetable stand in Assisi ….
…have already starred in a pasta recipe:
Today, I used some of the remaining agretti in an easy – VERY easy! – and tasty pasta dish: Spaghetti al Pesto di Agretti e Mandorle.
These are the only ingredients you need for this pesto with agretti and almonds (serves 3- 4 persons):
- agretti, a bunch
- a clove of garlic
- about 1/4 c. of almonds
- extra-virgin olive oil, q. b. (“quanto basta” or “as much as you need”)
- salt, pepper, q.b.
- freshly-grated Parmesan, q. b.
- spaghetti (a handful for every person )
You might be asking already, “What if I can’t get agretti?” Why not try this recipe with asparagus tips or young pea pods…or…..? (Glad to hear your ideas).
Start by cutting the roots off the fleshy, needle-shaped leaves of the agretti:
Put about 2- 3 c. of water on to boil. Add a bit of salt, q.b.
Wash the agretti in cold water….
….and then cook for about 6 minutes in the slightly salted boiling water:
Drain the agretti when al dente and let the vegetables dry a bit.
Put the water on to boil for the spaghetti, adding salt, q. b., to the water
Put the agretti in a food processor with a dash of olive oil, q. b.,…
…and blend a bit:
Add a garlic clove, the almonds and a few tablespoons of grated Parmesan:
Blend just a bit but this pesto is even tastier if the almonds remain a touch crunchy:
If needed, add more olive oil and blend briefly again:
Cook the spaghetti in salted, boiling water until al dente:
Prepare the serving bowl to “receive” the pasta by adding some of the pesto:
Drain the pasta, setting aside some of the brodo della pasta (boiling water in which the pasta is cooked) to add to the pesto to make it creamier..
Put the spaghetti in the serving bowl with the agretti pesto…..
…and then mix in the remaining pesto, putting a ladleful of the brodo della pasta into the food processor so as give all that pesto to the pasta:
Add more hot brodo as needed….
…..and olive oil:
Mix gently, sprinkle on Parmesan cheese…
…and serve:
Buon appetito!
Making this pasta was a diversion for me.
Tasting that new dish was a diversion for both Pino and me.
Reading about our spaghetti al pesto di agretti will be, hopefully, somewhat of a diversion for you.
Click here for more news on agretti – and another recipe
Click here to read about Novella’s vegetable stand during the coronavirus lockdown
Click here for another tasty – and easy!- pasta recipe
Cook away a possible CPA (Coronavirus Panic Attack) with this simple recipe for a buonissima pasta dish
Click here for another easy recipe to ward off CPA
Read about an Assisi COVID-19 springtime
Enjoy this “COVID-19 lockdown” recipe
Click here for a tasty Pino recipe as a coronavirus distraction
Click here for another “coronavirus-deterrent” recipe
Click here for another “coronavirus lockdown” recipe
Click here to read about – and see!- our Easter Monday picnic during lockdown
Read about seeking floral splendor during lockdown
Read about Assisi’s superb medieval festival, Calendimaggio, cancelled due to COVID-19
Click here for the recipe for a tasty pasta dish – and ours on Good Friday during COVID-19
Read about a floral tribute to Gubbio and their May 15th festival, Corsa dei Ceri – during lockdown
Read about a “lockdown liberation” for April 25th, la Festa della Repubblica (and so very linked to Gubbio, as well)
Read about newborn goats as a coronavirus diversion
Read here about culling the wool of our cashmere goats – a perfect coronavirus distraction
Read here about Pino’s goat cheese
Read here about a snowy day in Umbria during our coronavirus lockdown
Click here for an easy, tasty recipe
Read here about an outdoor market visit to ward off a CPA (Coronavirus Panic Attack)
Click here to read about – and see! – a favorite Orvieto eating spot (to ward off CPA)
Read about – and see! – Assisi during coronavirus lockdown
Read about a Pino feast on March 8th as coronavirus distraction
Click here to read about March 8th – as a coronavirus antidote
Your Sicilian recipes are wonderful as my Nonna (also named Vincenza) made many of these same recipes. My heritage is also Sicilian and your wonderful photos make my memories come alive. No CPA here only prayers I’ll be able to visit in the near future!