Avocado Pesto Fettuccine

I have been drooling on my keyboard at the multitude of avocado pasta recipes flooding the Internet lately. But, it wasn't until I saw this recipe on one of my favorite blogs, A Cozy Kitchen, that I rushed to make my own.

This dish combines everything that is wonderful about Pesto and Avocado. The sauce is light, yet creamy, with a bright summery finish. Best of all, it is easy to make!

Ingredients:
1 package fettucccine
2 cups of fresh basil leaves
2 Tbsp. pine nuts
2 Lemons (zest and juice from both)
3 Cloves of garlic
1 Tsp sea salt
2 Tsp crushed red pepper flakes (I added this for some spice - but it is not necessary)
4 Tbsp olive oil
Fresh cracked pepper to taste
2 avocados (using ripe quality hass avocados makes a major difference)

 Instructions (serves 4):
1. Boil fettuccine in salted water. Cool until al dente. Reserve one cup of pasta water and strain.
2. In a food processor or blender combine basil, pine nuts, garlic, lemon zest and juice, seasoning (salt, pepper and red pepper flakes). Blend ingredients until well combined.
3. Slowly add olive oil while food processor is running.
4. Add avocado and blend until mixture is smooth. Now it is time to taste, season accordingly - I added extra lemon, salt and red pepper flakes. I also used the reserved pasta water to thin the sauce out a bit since it was too thick.
5. In a large bowl, toss fettuccine with sauce until well coated.


Enjoy!