In Liguria, this is the other half of the pesto-pasta equation. The potatoes and green beans that normally travel alongside trenette al pesto in the same pot, cooked together and dressed in the same sauce. They are usually considered an afterthought. On their own, they are a dish.
The technique is identical to pesto pasta: the sauce goes on cold, never into a hot pan. Both vegetables need to reach room temperature before dressing, or the heat cooks out the basil and muddies the color. A few minutes of patience, and the pesto coats everything evenly with almost no effort.
Serve this as a side, a lunch, or the kind of thing that appears on the table before dinner with no introduction.
Set servings and units first. You can change them anytime.
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes whole and unpeeled. Cook for 35-40 minutes, until a knife passes through without resistance.
While the potatoes cook, bring a second pot of salted water to a boil. Add the trimmed green beans and cook for 7-9 minutes, until tender but still holding their shape. Drain and spread on a tray to cool.
When the potatoes are done, drain and leave until cool enough to handle. Peel and cut into rough 1 in chunks. Allow to cool to room temperature.
Combine the potatoes and green beans in a wide bowl. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, season with salt and a few grinds of pepper, and toss gently.
Add 3 tablespoons of pesto and fold through. No heat from this point.
Rest 5-10 minutes at room temperature before serving so the pesto coats everything evenly. Serve tepid.
You made Patate e Fagiolini al Pesto. Time to eat.
A new recipe in your inbox each month. No noise.
Use small, waxy potatoes, not floury ones. Floury potatoes absorb the pesto and fall apart. Waxy potatoes stay intact and hold their shape after boiling. If you can only find large waxy potatoes, halve them before boiling. The dish is best the day it is made: pesto oxidizes overnight and loses its color.
Each Gusta product is hand-selected and imported direct from Italy. Add what you need, or grab the whole set in one click.
Six Italian regions. Nothing reformulated. Imported direct.
No comments yet. Be the first.