Early Branch Peach, Apricot Pesto Pasta
I made this pasta after an 8-day road trip from Los Angeles to South Carolina with my mother. Our mission, to deliver a dog, Phoebe, and a truck to Early Branch, SC. What a fabulous trip! We traveled through 10 states over nine days. My mother is very sensitive to processed foods, additives and preservatives. Really, her body rejects anything unnatural. So I packed two coolers full of fresh food before we left (that I refilled along the way from Whole Foods in major cities).
Upon our arrival to Early Branch, SC, we were tired and an hour away from anything. So I cooked up another dinner using the ingredients I had left in the cooler: Fresh peaches, apricots, pesto and gluten free quinoa pasta (my mother has a gluten sensitivity). Why not make a fresh stone fruit pesto pasta!? Here is the recipe and it is delicious!
Early Branch Peach, Apricot Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
1 teaspoon of olive oil
1 teaspoon of butter
4-6 oz of your favorite spaghetti pasta (I used gluten-free quinoa)
2 fresh apricots, seed removed sliced into ½” half-moon shapes
2 fresh peaches, seed removed sliced into ½” half-moon shapes
1 cup fresh pesto, homemade or store bought (recipe for pesto is below)
1-2 garlic cloves smashed, skins removed and chopped fine
Fleur de sel
Fresh cracked pepper
Parmesan or a hard goat cheese.
Method
Boil pasta according to the package directions (I like to cook it until al dente).
Add olive oil and butter to a large heavy pan over medium heat. Add garlic, peaches and apricots to the pan and sauté until fruit is just softened (don’t overcook or they turn to mush).
When pasta is done cooking, drain.
Add pasta and pesto to pan and toss. Garnish with with your chosen hard cheese. Serve immediately and pass with chosen hard cheese.
Pesto Recipe
Ingredients
1 bunch basil or herbs – 2 cups packed herbs, basil, lemon balm, oregano
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
1 garlic glove smashed
Zest of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons of pine nuts
½ cup of olive oil
Method
Smash garlic clove with mortar and pestle. Add zest, lemon juice, salt. Add herbs and gently smash, while rotating mortar until you have a nice creamy sauce. Alternatively, you can blend ingredients in a small food processor until combined (do not over blend or you will burn up essential oils in herbs).
image: John Klein
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