Rotini With Pesto Sauce (Jain)

Making Jain pasta with pesto sauce is surprisingly very easy while maintaining flavor. Obviously, we will make this without garlic, onion and spinach in the pesto sauce. Instead, I use basil, mint leaves and parsley. I use rotini pasta, but you may use any pasta of your choice (i.e. penne). You may also add your choice of vegetables in the pasta. Here, I use broccoli, french beans and green bell peppers. I usually don't have pasta, but I truly enjoy this variation. Try this recipe for lunch of dinner - it's a personal favorite!

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 10 ounces uncooked rotini pasta
• 1-1/2 cups broccoli (cut into small florates)
• 1 cup french beans (cut approx. 1-1/2" long)
• 1 cup green capsicum (cut approx. 1-1/2" long)
• 6 to 7 basil leaves for garnishing
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Sea salt to taste
• Parmigiano reggiano cheese, grated (optional)

For The Pesto:

• 1-1/2  cups fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup parsley
• 1/2 cup mint leaves
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts or walnuts
• 1/4 cup Parmigiano reggiano cheese, grated (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt. Add pasta and cook according to the packaged directions. Drain, but save some water from the pasta (1 to 2 cups) and return the pasta to the pot.
2.  Prepare the pesto by adding basil, mint leaves, parsley, pine nuts, cheese, black pepper and salt in a food processor. Pulse until all the ingredients are finely chopped. 
3. With the machine still running, drizzle in 1/4 cup of the olive oil and process until the mixture is a smooth puree. If you feel the mixture is too thick to equally coat the pasta, then add a little more olive oil.
4. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil on a frying pan over medium heat. Add the broccoli, green pepper and french beans. Stir fry and add the pasta. Season with black pepper and salt. 
5. Add the pesto and toss until it is uniformly combined/ mixed. If you think it is dry, then add some of the saved pasta water (1/2 cup to 1 cup)
6. Garnish with basil leaves and top with additional grated cheese (optional).
7. Serve hot with with a side such as cheese bread or garlic bread. ( garlic bread optional)