Pesto

Hi kids,
I'm back from vacation and full of inspiration!
Last week I was in San Diego, and on my last day there I went to a little place called Craft & Commerce where I not only enjoyed amazing drinks and phenomenal appetizers (like their bacon cracker jack), but I also had a spectacular dinner called the Farmers Plate. Now, this dish changes every night, but when I was there is was farfalle with roasted local vegetables in a pistachio pesto. All I can say is that it changed my life, and I could not wait to get home and try to recreate it.
Pistachio pesto... who knew!
Anyway, true to form I am doing this with no recipe, so here goes....
What I used: fresh basil & zucchini (from my garden), summer squash, Italian eggplant, asparagus, red bell pepper, onion, garlic, pistachios, olive oil, lemon, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and farfalle pasta.

First step, boil the water then cook the pasta.
Second step, chop the vegetables (I cut them small so they would be a good mix with the bow tie pasta) and get them in a hot pan.
Now, if it wasn't the middle of the summer and humid as heck I would have roasted these in the oven, but since it is so bloody hot and humid, I decided to pan saute them with a little oil instead. Oh, and some minced garlic.

While the vegetables and pasta were cooking, I got the pesto ready.

Fresh basil, pistachios, olive oil, salt, pepper, a little fresh squeezed lemon, and some Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Put everything but the oil into a food processor, turn it on, then slowly start adding the oil until it's the consistency you want. Thicker would be good for a spread, thinner for a sauce.

By this time, both the pasta and the vegetables should be done cooking, so all that is left to do it put it all together.

And Enjoy!!

See you soon...