Serves 6 to 8

Notes

The pesto can be made ahead, but add the cheese and hot green beans right before serving. This pesto is great on a lot of things—other steamed green vegetables (such as broccoli or asparagus), pasta, grilled chicken, or white fish fillets.

Ingredients

  • 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for the cooking water
  • 2 pounds green beans, trimmed
  • 1 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves
  • 1 cup loosely packed fresh Italian parsley leaves
  • ½ cup toasted pine nuts
  • 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • ½ cup freshly grated Grana Padano
Lidia’s Celebrate Like an Italian

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Lidia’s Celebrate Like an Italian

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Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans, and cook until very tender, about 6 to 8 minutes, depending on size.

Meanwhile, in a mini–food processor (or in a bowl, if you’re working by hand), combine the mint, parsley, pine nuts, and salt, and pulse to make a coarse paste. With the machine running, add the olive oil to make a smooth pesto.

Scrape the pesto into a serving bowl, and stir in the grated cheese. When the beans are ready, drain well and add to the bowl with the pesto. Toss well, season with salt if necessary, and serve.

Lidia’s Celebrate Like an Italian

Cookbook

Lidia’s Celebrate Like an Italian

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