Pasta Salad with Pesto

Ingredients

• 2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 1 pound farfalle
• Salt and pepper
• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cups fresh basil leaves, lightly bruised
• 1 cup baby spinach
• ¾ cup pine nuts, toasted
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1½ ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (¾ cup), plus extra for serving
• 6 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 12 ounces cherry tomatoes, quartered

Instructions

1. 1Boil 4 quarts of water in a large pot. Drop in the unpeeled garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute. Scoop the garlic out with a slotted spoon and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Once cool enough to handle, peel and finely chop the garlic, then set it aside.
2. 2Stir the farfalle and 1 tablespoon of salt into the boiling water. Cook the pasta, stirring frequently, until it is tender. Scoop out and save 1/4 cup of the starchy cooking water.
3. 3Drain the cooked pasta and toss it with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Spread the noodles out in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Allow both the pasta and the reserved cooking water to cool to room temperature, which takes about 30 minutes.
4. 4Place the basil, baby spinach, 1/4 cup of the toasted pine nuts, lemon juice, chopped garlic, and 1 teaspoon of salt into a food processor. Blend the mixture until smooth, about 30 seconds, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary.
5. 5Add the grated Parmesan cheese, mayonnaise, and the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil to the food processor. Blend everything until completely smooth and combined, then transfer the pesto to a large mixing bowl.
6. 6Add the cooled farfalle to the bowl with the pesto and toss well. Pour in the reserved cooking water 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing continuously until the sauce evenly coats the pasta.
7. 7Gently fold in the remaining 1/2 cup of toasted pine nuts and the quartered cherry tomatoes. Taste the salad and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper before serving.

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