Mexi twist on pasta


  • Ingredients:

  • 1 pound whole wheat or whole grain penne
  • 3 large ears sweet corn
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons natural pistachios or sliced almonds
  • 3 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
  • A couple small handfuls grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 cup fresh basil, loosely packed
  • 3/4 cup cilantro leaves
  • 2 sprigs oregano
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
  • 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped, optional
Serves 4

Bring a pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water.
While the pasta is working, pre-heat an outdoor grill or indoor grill pan to medium. Husk, rinse and dry the corn. Brush with olive oil to coat; season with salt and pepper. Grill, turning occasionally, to brown the kernels at the edges, about 20 minutes. Using a sharp knife, scrape the kernels off the cobs into a bowl.
Meanwhile, in a dry skillet, toast the nuts and pumpkin seed until fragrant. Transfer to a food processor to cool. Add the cheese, garlic, basil, cilantro, oregano, lime juice, salt and pepper. Process the pesto, streaming in 1/3 cup olive oil.
In a large serving bowl, combine the pesto with the reserved pasta water. Add the pasta; toss for a minute to combine. Serve in bowls, topped with the tomato, corn, and onion. 


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