Fumbling through the CL recipe archives, I found this pesto how-to from the paper's resident cooking extraordinaire, Katie Machol Simon. She combines asparagus, mint and more to make the sauce, which you should definitely incorporate into a lemony pasta dish this season.
The following recipe's perfect for all those outdoor spring soirées (picnics, the beach, the boat), and even the biggest kitchen rookies will be able pull it off. Plus, you'll have enough pesto left over for your next culinary quest.
Pesto Pasta with Lemon, Spinach, Edamame & Toasted Almonds
Serves 4 to 6; From The Kitchn
8 ounces spaghetti
1/2 cup pesto (Katie's, or your favorite store-bought brand)
8 ounces spinach
2 cups edamame (shelled and shucked, the peas, not entire pods)
Juice from 2 lemons (plus fresh lemon wedges for serving)
3/4 cup almonds, crushed and lightly toasted
Heat a large pot of water to boiling, cook pasta until al dente. Remove from water, strain and rinse with cold water.
In a large bowl, stir pasta, pesto and spinach until combined (some spinach will wilt, some will stay firm — this is a nice contrast of textures). Finally, stir in the edamame and squirt the lemon all over the finished dish.
Reserve a few lemon slices for people to add more if they like. On a low heat, toast crushed almonds until just fragrant. Garnish pasta with the toasted almonds.
This article appears in Apr 2-8, 2015.