Pasta with Pesto, Potatoes and Peas

This is a super easy, great weeknight meal. The pasta and potatoes are filling, and the green peas and light basil keep it fresh and vibrant. It is also so kid friendly, and because it makes a generous portion, I have my girls eating it for lunch half the week too.

1lb dried pasta
1lb small potatoes
1lb unshelled fresh peas

4oz fresh basil
2 cloves garlic
½ cup olive oil
1 lemons zest and juice
Kosher salt

1 cup parmesan, freshly grated

Shell the peas. This should yield about 1 ¼ cups of fresh peas.

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Drop the peas into the boiling water.

Meanwhile, quickly prepare an ice bath for the peas. (An ice bath is a bowl of ice and water to stop the cooking process as soon as the peas are pulled from the boiling water.) Let the peas cook about 2 minutes, or until bright green and they have floated to the top.

Drain the peas with a slotted spoon (keeping the boiling water in the pot), and put them in the ice bath. Set the peas aside.

Put the potatoes into the water, and begin cooking them.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.

While you are waiting for the water to boil and the potatoes to cook, make the pesto.

In a blender, combine the garlic cloves, fresh basil leaves, lemon juice and zest, and the olive oil. Blend on high until you have a smooth pesto. Adjust the flavor with a little kosher salt. Set aside.

Drain the potatoes and place them in a large bowl. With a fork, gently smash the potatoes, so that the skin bursts and some of the potato flesh comes out. Drain the peas, and add them to the bowl.

Boil the pasta, and cook until al dente, according to package instructions.

When these have been drained, add the hot pasta to the potatoes and peas.
Add the pesto and gently toss to coat. Add the cheese and toss again.

Serve the pasta hot with cheese on top.

Enjoy!