Recipe: Pasta Pesto Salad

Pasta Pesto Salad

Ingredients:
• 8 oz. dried orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
• 8 oz. cherry tomatoes, quartered
• Pesto dressing, see below
• About 1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
• Fresh basil sprigs
• About 1 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• About 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 3 tablespoons virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (3/4 oz.)
• 3 tablespoons half and half

Directions:
Following package directions, cook pasta in boiling salted water just until tender but still firm. Drain, rinse with cold water and drain again. Place in a bowl and add tomatoes. To prepare Pesto Dressing, combine basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts and oil in a blender and process until smooth. Turn into a bowl and beat in cheese and half and half. Stir dressing into pasta mixture, then transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with toasted pine nuts. Garnish with basil sprigs.