| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 30 min |
| Active: | 20 min |
| Yield: | 6 to 8 servings |
Ingredients
- Kosher salt
- 1 bunch broccoli rabe, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup roasted unsalted almonds
- 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
- 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 1 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/3-inch dice
- 1 pound orecchiette pasta
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Season well with salt. Add the broccoli rabe to the water and simmer until the stem is just tender when pierced with a knife, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove to a rimmed baking sheet to cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, squeeze out any extra water with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels.
- Add the almonds to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped, 5 or 6 times. Add the basil, oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Puree until combined and almost smooth. Pour the pesto into a large bowl. Add the Parmigiano-Reggiano, broccoli rabe and mozzarella and toss well to combine.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season liberally with salt. Add the orecchiette and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or a pasta spider, transfer the pasta directly to the bowl with the pesto. Add 1/2 cup of the pasta water and 1/2 teaspoon salt and toss everything together until evenly coated.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 8 servings |
| Calories | 708 |
| Total Fat | 45 g |
| Saturated Fat | 15 g |
| Carbohydrates | 48 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 4 g |
| Sugar | 3 g |
| Protein | 30 g |
| Cholesterol | 63 mg |
| Sodium | 724 mg |
Reviews
Followed this recipe exactly. May be one of the most tasteless pasta dishes I have ever eaten in my life, and no I did not leave out the salt. Plain buttered noodles have more flavor than this! After tasting the finished product I added a lot of sautéed garlic, a little extra Parmesan and red pepper flakes which helped but still a very subpar pasta dish. Wasted $10 for ingredients! Pesto was just OK, nothing spectacular. I’m generally not a fan of Giada because I find her food to be lacking flavor overall, but this looked good. And if there are leftovers, just toss them because there’s no way this would re-heat well. It’s just a giant gob of cheese.
I’ve only got raw almonds. Has anyone roasted them themselves?
Fantastic!!
Great recipe and easy to prepare
Incredible! The almond basil pesto is so refreshing and nutty. It really adds enough extra flavor to the broccolini and pasta to make you want that next bite.