Pasta with lettuce pesto and squid

We can create a fresh and light variant of a pasta dish, using a lettuce pesto as a base and enriching it with sautéed squid. Here’s how to do it:

Ingredients

• 320 g of pasta (spaghetti, linguine, or your preferred shape)
• 2 heads of lettuce (romaine or iceberg)
• 1 clove of garlic
• 30 g of pine nuts
• 20 g of grated Parmesan cheese
• Extra virgin olive oil to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 300 g of cleaned squid, cut into rings
• Lemon juice
• Fresh parsley (optional)

Preparation

1. Start by bringing a pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta. Meanwhile, prepare the lettuce pesto.
2. Wash the lettuce well, dry it and roughly chop it.
3. In a blender, combine the lettuce, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan, a pinch of salt and pepper, and blend everything together, gradually adding the oil until you achieve a creamy consistency. Adjust salt and pepper to your taste.
4. In a pan, heat a drizzle of oil and add the squid. Deglaze them with lemon juice and sauté until they become tender and slightly golden. This should take about 2-3 minutes to avoid them becoming too hard. Add the chopped parsley, if you wish.
5. Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package. Drain it al dente and save a ladleful of the pasta cooking water.
6. Return the pasta to the pot and add the lettuce pesto, mixing well. If necessary, add a little of the cooking water to make the sauce more fluid.
7. Add the sautéed squid and gently mix to distribute them evenly.
8. Serve immediately.

Did you know?

Lettuce pesto is a lesser-known variant compared to the classic Genoese pesto, but it’s a great alternative for experimenting with new and light flavors, especially in spring or summer. Paired with squid, it becomes a dish that surprisingly unites the flavors of the sea and the land.