Ingredients:

  • 2 cups (60g) fresh basil leaves, packed
  • 1/3 cup (50g) pine nuts
  • 1/2 cup (50g) grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/3 cup (80ml) extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbsp (30ml) fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp (2g) lemon zest
  • 3 cloves (9g) garlic, peeled
  • 1/2 tsp (3g) salt
  • 1 lb (450g) pasta (Linguine or Penne)
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) reserved pasta water

Instructions:

  1. Place the pine nuts in a small dry skillet over medium heat. Toast for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until they smell nutty and turn lightly golden.
  2. Transfer the toasted nuts to the food processor along with the garlic and salt. Pulse until the garlic is minced and the nuts are coarsely chopped.
  3. Add the fresh basil leaves and lemon zest to the processor. Pulse 5-7 times just until the leaves are broken down.
  4. While the processor is running on low, slowly stream in the olive oil and lemon juice to create a stable emulsion.
  5. Stir in the Parmesan cheese by hand or pulse once more to keep the texture slightly coarse.
  6. Boil the pasta in heavily salted water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup (120ml) of the pasta water before draining.
  7. Return the pasta to the pot over low heat. Pour in the lemon basil pesto and the reserved pasta water, tossing vigorously for 60 seconds until the sauce is glossy and velvety.