Pasta with Sweet Pea and Feta Pesto

1. Blanch the Veg

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, adding about a tablespoon of salt per quart of water. Add the sweet peas and blanch for two minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the peas from the boiling water and immediately transfer them into ice water to halt the cooking process. Drain them well before making the pesto.

2. Cook the Pasta

Bring the pea-blanching water back to a boil and add the rotini pasta. Cook for 30 seconds to one minute less than the package instructions suggest before draining. Make sure that you save some of the pasta water.

3. Make the Pesto

Combine the blanched sweet peas, feta cheese, pine nuts, parsley, garlic, a pinch of salt and a few cracks of pepper in the base of a food processor. Pulse a few times to create and even, coarse paste. With the food processor running, stream in the olive oil until you have a smooth pesto.

4. Sauce the Pasta

Return the drained pasta to the pot, with some of the pasta water. Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly, until the water has almost fully reduced. Add about half of the pesto, stirring continuously to create a creamy emulsion. Add the remaining pesto, and check the sauce for consistency and seasoning. Adjust with salt and pasta water if needed.

5. Serve

Divide the pasta onto two plates, garnishing with more crumbled feta and a drizzle of olive oil before serving.