This from-scratch linguine alla genovese is exceptionally tasty as the pesto is freshly blitzed, the waxy potatoes are deliciously warming, the beans are fresh and firm, and the pasta is perfectly coated in a light, creamy, pesto rich sauce.
There are quite a few steps to this recipe but they're all very straightforward, so if you follow along, you shouldn't have any trouble at all.
You'll start by getting the veg ready, which is as simple as boiling your green beans and then dropping into cold water, and boiling your potatoes so that they're super easy to peel and slice.
Next, you'll make a lovely pesto by toasting some pine nuts in a pan, then chucking them in a food processor with some fresh basil, garlic, olive oil and a splash of water to make the beginnings of your pesto sauce.
To bring it all together, you'll get your pasta on to boil while you fry your sliced potatoes in a little olive oil. You'll then throw in the beans and pesto with some fresh cream and your cooked pasta and this gorgeous dish is ready to serve!
Here's how to make enough linguine alla genovese to feed four.
Ingredients
For the veg
- 400 g (14 oz) new potatoes
- 200 g (7 oz) green beans
For the pesto
- 50 g (⅓ cup) pine nuts toasted
- 100 g (5 cups) fresh basil
- 100 g (1 cup) Parmesan or vegetarian hard cheese alternative grated
- 1 cloves garlic crushed
- 60 ml (¼ cup) water
- 150 ml (½ cup) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pinch salt and black pepper
For the sauce
- 300 g (11 oz) dried linguine
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 125 ml (½ cup) single cream (light cream)
- 5 g (¼ cup) fresh basil
- 1 pinch salt and black pepper
Instructions
Prep the potatoes
Drop the potatoes into a pan of boiling water and cook for 15 minutes until they give no starchy resistance if a knife is pushed into them.
Place in cold water and once cool, peel and slice into 1/2 cm (1/4 inch) slices.
Blanch the green beans
Here’s a trick to get vibrant green beans in your final dish. Fill a bowl with very cold water and set aside.
Bring a small pan of water to the boil.
Drop the beans into the water and cook for 2 minutes.
Drain the beans and plunge the beans straight into the cold water.
Allow them to sit in the water while you make the pesto - don’t leave them for longer or they may become waterlogged.
Toast the pine nuts
Warm a pan over a medium heat and add the pine nuts.
Toast for a couple of minutes until golden. Keep an eye on them and keep shaking/stirring as they can easily burn.
Tip the pine nuts onto a plate to cool.
Make the pesto
Place the toasted pine nuts, basil, Parmesan, garlic, olive oil, water and a pinch of salt and pepper in the bowl of a food processor.
Process in short bursts until you have a thin, coarse paste.
Make the sauce
Bring a large pan of salted water to a rolling boil and add the pasta. To get it cooked but with a bit of texture, I generally aim for a couple of minutes less that the instructions on the pack.
Heat the oil in a frying pan over low heat.
Add the sliced potatoes.
Fry for 2-3 minutes until they start to turn golden.
Add the green beans, cream, pesto you made earlier, a pinch of salt and pepper and a splash of water from the pasta pan. Gently warm the sauce to a simmer and allow to bubble gently for 2 minutes. Don't let it boil as the cream may separate.
Lift the linguine into the pesto sauce.
Toss everything together gently. If the pasta seems dry, you can add more of the starchy pasta water until you achieve the desired consistency.
Divide the pasta between hot serving bowls and enjoy.
Print this recipe for linguine alla genovese
Linguine Alla Genovese Recipe
Ingredients
For the veg
- 400 g (14 oz) new potatoes
- 200 g (7 oz) green beans
For the pesto
- 50 g (⅓ cup) pine nuts toasted
- 100 g (5 cups) fresh basil
- 100 g (1 cup) Parmesan or vegetarian hard cheese alternative grated
- 1 cloves garlic crushed
- 60 ml (¼ cup) water
- 150 ml (½ cup) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pinch salt and black pepper
For the sauce
- 300 g (11 oz) dried linguine
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 125 ml (½ cup) single cream (light cream)
- 5 g (¼ cup) fresh basil
- 1 pinch salt and black pepper
Instructions
Prep the potatoes
- Drop the potatoes into a pan of boiling water and cook for 15 minutes until they give no starchy resistance if a knife is pushed into them.
- Place in cold water and once cool, peel and slice into ½ cm (¼ inch) slices.
Blanch the green beans
- Here’s a trick to get vibrant green beans in your final dish. Fill a bowl with very cold water and set aside.
- Bring a small pan of water to the boil. Drop the beans into the water and cook for 2 minutes.
- Drain the beans and plunge the beans straight into the cold water.
- Allow them to sit in the water while you make the pesto - don’t leave them for longer or they may become waterlogged.
Toast the pine nuts
- Warm a pan over a medium heat and add the pine nuts.
- Toast for a couple of minutes until golden. Keep an eye on them and keep shaking/stirring as they can easily burn.
- Tip the pine nuts onto a plate to cool.
Make the pesto
- Place the toasted pine nuts, basil, Parmesan, garlic, olive oil, water and a pinch of salt and pepper in the bowl of a food processor.
- Process in short bursts until you have a thin, coarse paste.
Make the sauce
- Bring a large pan of salted water to a rolling boil and add the pasta. To get it cooked but with a bit of texture, I generally aim for a couple of minutes less that the instructions on the pack.
- Heat the oil in a frying pan over low heat.
- Add the sliced potatoes and fry for 2-3 minutes until they start to turn golden.
- Add the green beans, cream, pesto you made earlier, a pinch of salt and pepper and a splash of water from the pasta pan.
- Gently warm the sauce to a simmer and allow to bubble gently for 2 minutes. Don't let it boil as the cream may separate.
- Lift the linguine into the pesto sauce. Toss everything together gently. If the pasta seems dry, you can add more of the starchy pasta water until you achieve the desired consistency.
- Divide the pasta between hot serving bowls and enjoy.
Video
Nutrition
This recipe is reproduced with permission from the ASK Italian cookbook.
Print this recipe for linguine alla genovese
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Jo from yummyvege says
Yum a slightly different take on traditional pesto - will have to try it!
Deena Kakaya says
Beautiful pics of an utterly spring-time dish. I love the lemons in this dish x
TheBeesleyBuzz says
Looks lovely! A great recipe for spring. X