Fettuccine with Tuna & Basil Pesto

OK, so we have the recipe for the fresh pesto, now we need something to use it on.  Pasta sounds like a good place to start.  It's cheap, easy and delicious.  This was a spur of the moment late night meal I came up with after I got home from work.  A man, a can and a plan, ha.  OK, I stole that from a food book but it sounded good.  Use Italian canned tuna, it has a cleaner flavor and they use olive oil to can it vs. water for most brand names.  You might have to search a bit or order some online, but it's well worth the hunt.  This recipe will serve about 2 people.

For the Pasta:

9 oz Fettuccine Noodles, Fresh or Dried

5 oz Canned Tuna, Italian Preferable

1/2 Cup Basic Pesto

Freshly Grated Parmagiano Reggiano

Cook noodles according to package directions, or if using fresh for 3 to 5 minutes for al dente.  Once the pasta is cooked, drain and put back into pot.  Drain the tuna and add, along with the remaining ingredients and mix well.  Plate the pasta and grate fresh Parmesan cheese over and serve hot.

Basic Pesto

Ah, good ol' pesto.  Like I said before, it's my go to condiment.  It's really a breeze to whip up and it'll keep for about a week in the fridge.  I just use a blender to combine all the ingredients and it works great.  You might need to pack down the ingredients a couple times, usually I pour in a little less than half of the oil to start, push it down a bit and then start a medium pulse.  From there you can slowly add the oil and get the desired consistency.  I like my pesto a little smoother, especially when using a real high quality extra virgin olive oil.  There are a multitude of applications, from pasta to sandwiches or use as a marinade, the sky's the limit.

For the Pesto:

1 Cup Basil Leaves

Up to 1/2 Cup Good Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/4 Cup Freshly Grated Parmagiano Reggiano

2 Tbs Pines Nuts

1 1/2 tsp Freshly Chopped Garlic

1/8 tsp Kosher Salt

1/8 tsp Freshly Ground Pepper

In a blender, combine half of the olive oil and the remaining ingredients.  Turn on to medium speed.  Once the basil starts to puree slowly add the rest of the olive oil and blend well.  Place in a jar with a tight fitting lid and keep for up to a week in the refrigerator.  Use on your favorite recipes.