Today Show: Siri Pinter Arugula Pesto Bowtie Pasta Recipe

Today Food: Siri Pinter

Contributor Siri Pinter joined her off-air partner Carson Daly in the Today Food kitchen to show how you can make pasta into a lighter meal for warm weather dinners. Check out Siri’s meal idea for Arugula Pesto Bowtie Pasta.

Making homemade pesto is not as hard as it sounds. In fact, TV chefs are encouraging us all to try it regularly. To save time when preparing this recipe, make your pesto the day before and keep it in the fridge. You could even make a double batch and freeze the rest for a future recipe.

“Why is it when something’s in the shape of a bowtie it becomes light and fluffy?” Carson asked instead of helping. I did not get the impression that he is much help in the kitchen at home either. When you are cooking at home, do you like to have help or do you prefer to handle everything yourself? Tell me your preferred cooking style by leaving a comment.

Today Show: Siri Pinter Arugula Pesto Bowtie Pasta Recipe Ingredients

• 1 lb Farfalle Bowtie Pasta
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
• 2 cups Baby Arugula
• 1/2 cup Pine Nuts (or use Almonds)
• 1 rough chopped clove Garlic
• 1 cup drained Sun-Dried Tomatoes (or use Cherry Tomatoes)
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Sea Salt

Siri Pinter: Today Show Arugula Pesto Bowtie Pasta Recipe Directions

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and season it well with salt.
2. Add pasta and cook approximately 10 minutes, to al dente. Drain the noodles.
3. Toast pine nuts on medium in a dry skillet. Stir often so they brown but don’t burn.
4. Let the pine nuts cool off the heat once they are toasted.
5. Add 1/4 cup of cooled pine nuts to a food processor, along with garlic and Parmesan.
6. Pulse the processor contents until finely mixed. Add arugula and process well.
7. Stream in olive oil until the mixture has reached your desired consistency; salt to taste.
8. Return drained pasta to the pot. Stir in pesto with sun-dried tomatoes.
9. Serve pasta garnished with extra pine nuts and Parmesan cheese.