Orecchiette with Celery Pesto sauce

Orecchiette al Pesto di Sedano

This dish is a welcome diversion from the most popular pasta with basil pesto sauce; it is tasty and healthy, and because celery is available all the year, it is perfect in winter or every time of the year.

I don’t add salt to the celery puree because the celery is naturally salty.

  

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: just the time to boil pasta
Class: cheap, healthy

Serves 2–3                                                          

Ingredients:
5 oz. (140 g) fresh celery
Extra virgin olive oil, about 7 tbsp.
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
3 tbsp. sunflower seeds
2 oz. (60 g.) Parmigiano Reggiano (or Grana Padano) cheese, chopped
8 cups (2 L) water
1 tbsp. salt
½ lb. (approximately 250 g) orecchiette pasta

Method:

1.     Prepare the celery pesto: Blend together the celery, oil, garlic, sunflower seeds and cheese, reducing to a thick puree. Set aside.
2. At this point, bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add 1 tbsp. of salt. Add the pasta and boil it, stirring often, until al dente. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Add the celery puree to the pasta and mix well. Serve immediately.