Traditional Pasta with Pesto, Potatoes and Green Beans

This traditional Italian pasta alla genovese with green beans, potatoes and pesto sauce is the perfectly delicious one-pot, one-dish dinner that’s ready in about 20 minutes

This is a sponsored post written by me in collaboration with Alessi Foods. Opinions, recipe and text are all mine.

Here is one of my all-time favorites, easy and quick dinner recipes. It's a flavorful and hearty pasta mingled with tender green beans and wholesome potatoes. All coated in a creamy and aromatic pesto sauce.

 A drizzle of flavorful olive oil, a touch of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and a sprinkle of pine nuts (optional but highly recommended!).

This dish never fails to satisfy my pasta cravings, and make my mind travel back to last summer and those magical evenings spent dining al fresco on a terrace in Cinque Terre. Overlooking the Ligurian Sea while sipping a refreshing glass of wine and enjoying this truly Italian traditional dish.

Can't taste and aromas also transport you back to some special and unforgettable memories?!? 

If you are ready to jump deep into Liguria's culinary tradition with me, now you can! And that is thanks to all these high quality, authentically Italian products I ordered online from Alessi Foods (Note: Use code MANUELA for 15% off your order. Free shipping on orders over $20!).

For this recipe I used their Organic Casarecci Pasta and their Premium Pesto Sauce. It comes really handy to always have a few (or lots, in my case) boxes of pasta and a jar of pesto. You really never know when the cravings will hit you. Or when your fresh basil plant looks more dead than alive... Did you catch my story on Instagram last week?!?

Let's just say my basil plant had seen better days :( Thank goodness this pesto saved my dinner plans.

Now let's talk pasta for a minute. The traditional pesto/potatoes/green beans pasta from Liguria asks for trofie, but technically many pasta shapes works with this sauce. Today I've used these Organic Casarecci Pasta, but take a look at all these fun shapes Alessi has to offer. 
And a little secret here for you. When pasta is this fancy and tastes this good, any simple and basic sauce will turn your average dinner into something amazing.

What I love the most about this recipe is not only its comforting and mouth-watering flavor, but also that it requires just one pot (for a super fast clean up) and it's ready in about 20 minutes. Cook the potatoes and green beans a little first in the boiling water. Add the pasta and cook al dente. When the pasta is ready you want the veggies fully cooked (but obviously not too mushy). Remember, always save some of the cooking water before you drain the pasta. This water is the best when you need to make your sauce a little thinner. 

All that is left to do is toss the pasta with about one tablespoon of Alessi Pesto. Add as much as you like... when we talk about pesto there are no limits, but what your taste buds tells you!
Toss the pasta adding a little of the saved water, a drizzle of Alessi extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. To top it all out, you can add a few pine nuts on top. Those are always a welcome addition if you ask me:)

I always appreciate a dinner that take little time and little effort to prepare and tastes this delicious. I 'm pretty sure this will become one of your favorites too.
Buon Appetito!

INGREDIENTS:

YIELD: 2 servings

1. • 1 small-medium potato (about 5 oz, 140 gr)
   • 4 oz (110 gr) green beans
   • 4.5 oz (125 gr) Alessi Organic Casarecci pasta 
   • 1 tablespoon of Alessi Premium Pesto di Liguria
   • 2 teaspoons of Alessi Extra Virgin Olive Oil
   • salt and pepper
   • pine nuts and Parmesan Cheese, optional

PREPARATION:

TIME: 20 minutes

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt to taste.
Peel and dice the potato. Wash, clean and cut the green beans in pieces (about 1 inch long).
When the water boil, add the potatoes and green beans. Bring back to a boil and cook for a couple of extra minutes.
Add the pasta and cook until al dente (follow the time on the package). This casarecci pasta need about 8-9 minutes.
Drain the pasta when ready  saving some of the water.
Mix the pasta with the pesto. Add some of the water if necessary to make the sauce a little softer.
Drizzle with some olive oil, and freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Decorate with more pine nuts if you wish.
Serve immediately, and enjoy :)

RECIPE CARD: Pasta alla genovese, with pesto, potatoes and green beans

Traditional Ligurian Pasta with Pesto, Potatoes and Green Beans

Yield: 2

Author: Manuela Mazzocco

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 20 Min

This traditional pasta with green beans, potatoes and pesto sauce is the perfectly delicious one-pot, one-dish dinner that’s ready in about 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 small-medium potato (about 5 oz, 140 gr)
• 4 oz (110 gr) green beans
• 5 oz (125 gr) casarecce or trofie pasta
• 1 tablespoon pesto sauce
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper
• pine nuts and Parmesan Cheese, optional

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt to taste.
2. Peel and dice the potato. Wash, clean and cut the green beans in pieces (about 1 inch long).
3. When the water boil, add the potatoes and green beans. Bring back to a boil and cook for a couple of extra minutes.
4. Add the pasta and cook until al dente (follow the time on the package). This casarecci pasta need about 8-9 minutes.
5. Drain the pasta when ready saving some of the water.
6. Mix the pasta with the pesto. Add some of the water if necessary to make the sauce a little softer.
7. Drizzle with some olive oil, and freshly grated parmesan cheese.
8. Decorate with more pine nuts if you wish.
9. Serve immediately, and enjoy :)

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