How to make Mario Batali’s trenette pasta with jalapeno pesto recipe from his cookbook Molto Batali: Simple Family Meals from My Home to Yours
Ingredients:
- 6 fresh jalapeno peppers, cored and seeded
- 5 fresh serrano chiles, cored and seeded
- 1/2 medium red onion, chopped into 1/4-inch dice
- 1/2 cup sliced blanched almonds
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 1/2 pounds trenette (or use linguine fini pasta)
- 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs, toasted
Instructions:
- Make the jalapeno pesto: Place the jalapenos, serranos, onions, almonds, and olive oil in a food processor and process until smooth. Season with salt to taste.
- Bring 8 quarts of water to a boil in a large pasta pot.
- While the water is heating, combine the olive oil and the garlic in a 12- to 14-inch saute pan, and saute over medium high heat until the garlic is almost brown, about 3 minutes.
- Add 1 1/2 cups of the jalapeno pesto and bring to a simmer.
- When the water comes to a boil, add 2 tablespoons salt. Drop the trenette into the boiling water and cook for 1 minute less than the package instructions indicate. Just before the pasta is done, carefully ladle 1/4 cup of the cooking water into the pan containing the jalapeno mixture.
- Drain the pasta in a colander and add it to the jalapeno mixture. Toss over medium heat for about 30 seconds, until nicely coated, and then pour it into a warmed bowl. Scatter the breadcrumbs over the top and serve immediately.
Serves 8-10 as a first course, 6 as a main
Note: Use any extra pesto to top cooked vegetables or as a spread for crostini. Stored in a plastic container with a snap-tight lid and covered with a thin layer of olive oil, it will keep nicely in the fridge for 2 weeks.