1 box Pasta Spaghetti
1 cup rough chopped Italian (flat leaf) parsley, firmly packed
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup walnuts
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon coarse salt (like Kosher or sea salt)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white or rice wine vinegar
1 9oz bag baby leaf spinach
1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes
Put a large pot of salted water on to boil. Add parsley, Parmesan, walnuts, garlic and salt to food processor. Mix until smooth. Add olive oil, vinegar and half of spinach to mixture. Blend until smooth. Add remaining half of spinach and blend until smooth. Meanwhile cook Pasta until it is al dente. Drain and rinse quickly in cold water. Drain again and add 1 cup or more of pesto to the warm pasta. Mix well and serve topped with fresh tomatoes.
note: Don't substitute red vinegar for the white, it will turn the pesto an ugly brown color.
This recipe makes 3 cups pesto. Refrigerate remaining pesto in a glass jar. Pour a thin layer of olive oil over the top. Pesto will keep in the refrigerator for up to four weeks. Additionally, you can freeze pesto in small freezer bags by filling 3/4 full, laying flat, squeezing out the air and sealing. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, not in the microwave.