Easy Classic Basil Pesto with Pappardelle Pasta & Crab
I LOVE this pesto recipe!! It’s so good I want to put it on everything! My favorite and go to though is with some fresh pasta and lump crab meat – literally *chef’s kiss*! Crab pairs perfectly with the bright basil and since its bold, but delicate flavor doesn’t require much more, it’a an amazing and harmonious dish where all the ingredients shine!
The secret? Traditional genovese basil. Genovese basil differs from the typical, “American” basil you’ll find in chain grocery stores in appearance and flavor. Genovese basil has larger, emerald green leaves and are packed with an intense sweet, yet peppery, flavor that infuses every dish with vibrant, herbaceous deliciousness! It adds depth and complexity to any dish and is a MUST HAVE ingredient for any food lover craving authentic Italian flavors in their dishes. While I wholeheartedly recommend seeking out Genovese basil, or even growing your own like I do, American basil is appropriate to substitute in a bind
This pesto is also super easy so you’d have to try reeeaaaallly hard to mess it up but for best results here are some tips:
- Be sure to remember your ice cubes! Once you get your blender going for a while, your pesto can heat up, causing the emulsion we’re creating with the olive oil, nuts and basil to separate; adding ice cubes helps prevent this by keeping the sauce relatively cool.
- Save some of your pasta cooking water and add in a little with the pesto sauce as needed to thin the sauce a bit so it coats your pasta perfectly!
- Flake or shred your crab meat. This makes it stick to your pasta a lot more easily and makes it easier to eat so you don’t have to fish for crab meat while enjoying dinner!
Besides that, I promise this recipe is dummy proof! Have a go! I cant wait for you to try!!
Equipment
- 1 blender
- 1 pan
- 1 medium bowl
Ingredients
Pesto Sauce (9 ounces)
- 100 grams fresh genovese basil
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp pine nuts
- 1/3 cup pecorino Romano cheese
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 2 cubes ice plus extra for blanching basil
Pasta
- 9 oz pappardelle pasta
- 8 oz lump crab meat flaked/shredded
- 1/2 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
- dash cayenne pepper optional
- parmesan cheese optional for grating on finished dish
Instructions
Pesto Sauce
- Blanch basil leaves, submerging in boiling water for 20-30 seconds then immediately submerging in ice cold water.
- Remove basil from cold water and squeeze excess water out with hands.
- Add basil, pine nuts, garlic cloves, olive oil and salt along with 2 ice cubes and blend until smooth. This could take 2-4 minutes depending on the power of your blender.
- Add pecorino and parmesan to blender and blend for another 5-15 seconds until combined smooth.
Pasta
- Combine crab meat with Old Bay seasoning & cayenne pepper in a bowl and set aside.
- Prepare pasta according to manufacturer's instructions and reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- In a pan over low heat add pasta, 4 ounces of pesto sauce and crab meat and toss with tongs. Add a little of your reserved pasta water to help thin the sauce and allow it to spread evenly.
- Remove from heat and enjoy with freshly grated parmesan!
