Garlicky Sweet Pea Pesto

Yesterday I spent approximately all of the hours shelling peas for this amazing pesto. About halfway through I questioned whether I really needed to make this pesto with peas, and the answer was something like, “Probably not.”

 

But then I powered through and shelled the heck out of those bad boys. And y’all? The pesto is SO WORTH IT. Smooth, slightly sweet, a little earthy and a whole lotta garlicky.

The way I see it the garlic and the sweet peas share the spotlight, and they’re totally OK with it. A perfect pairing if you ask me, and when you stir them in with perfectly cooked pasta (or a compound butter or slather on top of bread or pizza or just a spoon…).

When I was at the store the other day I saw some fresh sweet peas and envisioned a romantic sunlit porch with old-time country playing in the background while I shelled them with ease. That was actually not what happened; what happened was that I shelled them in between naps and bath times and workouts. In my workout clothes. And bare feet. With podcasts playing in the background.

 

So real life happened, but I wouldn’t have changed it for anything. And this pesto is all up on some perfectly cooked trottole pasta, with whispy shavings of Parmesan, and at every temperature. It’s filled with shelled peas and spinach a teensy bit of fresh basil and is heaven. Y’all enjoy!

GARLICKY SWEET PEA PESTO

• 1/2 cup shelled fresh sweet peas
• 3 cups fresh baby spinach
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
• 3 cloves fresh garlic
• 3 ounces fresh Parmesan cheese
• juice of one lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse to combine, then process until smooth in consistency. Serve over cooked pasta or however you want!