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Plated wholewheat trenette avvantaggiate with potato slices, green beans, and glossy basil pesto in a rustic ceramic bowl.

Ligurian Trenette Avvantaggiate with Wholewheat Pesto

Wholewheat trenette, potatoes, and green beans boil together in one pot, then get tossed with a hand-pounded Ligurian basil pesto.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course (Pasta)
Cuisine: Italian (Liguria)
Calories: 670
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Pesto
  • 60 g fresh basil leaves about 2 packed cups, dried thoroughly
  • 1 garlic clove peeled
  • 30 g pine nuts
  • 40 g Parmigiano Reggiano freshly grated
  • 20 g Pecorino Romano freshly grated
  • 100 ml extra virgin olive oil mild, fruity
  • 1 pinch coarse sea salt
For the Trenette Avvantaggiate
  • 320 g wholewheat trenette or wholewheat linguine
  • 300 g waxy potatoes peeled, sliced 1 cm thick
  • 150 g green beans trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces
  • salt to taste; for the pasta water

Method
 

Make the Pesto
  1. Add the peeled garlic clove, pine nuts, and a pinch of coarse salt to a mortar. Pound to a coarse paste.
  2. Add the dried basil leaves in two or three batches, pounding and pressing against the side of the mortar until the leaves break down to a bright green paste. Or pulse in a food processor in short bursts, scraping down the sides, until finely chopped but not liquid.
  3. Fold in the Parmigiano and Pecorino by hand, then drizzle in the olive oil a little at a time, stirring until the pesto turns glossy and holds together. Set aside.
Cook the Trenette Avvantaggiate
  1. Bring a 6-quart / 5.7 L pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the potato slices and cook for 5 minutes.
  2. Add the green beans and cook for another 3 minutes.
  3. Add the wholewheat trenette and cook according to package time, usually 9 to 11 minutes, until the pasta is al dente and the potatoes are fork-tender.
  4. Scoop out and reserve 1 cup / 240 ml of the starchy pasta water, then drain the pasta, potatoes, and beans together in a colander.
Toss and Serve
  1. Return the drained pasta, potatoes, and beans to the warm pot, off the heat. Add the pesto and 2 to 3 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water, tossing until the pesto coats everything and turns glossy.
  2. Loosen with more pasta water a tablespoon at a time if the sauce looks tight. Taste and adjust salt.
  3. Divide among plates and serve right away, with extra grated cheese on the side if you like.

Notes

  • Dry basil thoroughly before pounding to avoid a watery pesto.
  • Slice potatoes evenly, about 1 cm thick, so they cook at the same rate.
  • Reserve pasta water before draining, you'll need it to loosen the pesto.
  • Toss pesto with pasta off the heat to protect its color.