Towards the end of the summer, when the basil plants are in full swing, Italians make trofietti with pesto as a primi.

Something about stabbing all the tiny twisted pastas and opening one’s mouth very wide so as not to get one up your nostril, makes eating this pasta pure fun.

The trofiette also make a great gift for those who remember it from their travels to Italy. Very difficult to locate in the USA, it brings back the sentiment of an Italian summer.

The natural pairing for this pasta has always been pesto, as the twisted shape of this whimsical pasta allows the pesto to squeeze into all of the cracks.

Though we would love to make homemade pesto, our smallish plants will not yield a full portion. When you buy pesto, be sure to go the DOP route. Pesto that is not from Genova does not have the same sensory effect. On our minds is the pesto from Anfosso, which we tasted two weeks ago at the Sagra (and are still dreaming about). Authentic, classic, and delicious, it is our choice to use for this dish. Pairing this authentic sauce with the hand-made pasta creates a pasta otherwise hard to replicate outside Italy.

Simply boil your pasta to taste (about 10 minutes), while you carefully toast some pine nuts. Toss the pasta with the pesto, garnish with fresh basil, parmesan, pine nuts, and serve!

Shop Emporio now to gather your ingredients, download your recipe card here: (Trofiette with Pesto) and buon appetito!

— Via Umbria