TABELIAAUTHENTIC RECIPE
Trenette al Pesto con Patate e FagioliniTrenette with Pesto, Potatoes and Green Beans
The traditional Ligurian approach cooks potatoes and green beans in the same pot as the pasta before dressing everything with pesto. The vegetables’ sweetness enhances the pesto in a complete, authentic regional dish.
AUTHENTICITY SCORE
Authenticity Score
This is the standard recipe, exactly as it’s made where it comes from — the highest Authenticity Score possible. Substituting ingredients changes this score; the app shows exactly how, ingredient by ingredient.
Ingredients (4 servings)
- Trenette (thin, flat pasta)320 g
- Pesto alla genovese (recipe above or store-bought)120 g
- Medium potatoesPeel and cut into 2 cm cubes2 pieces
- Green beansTrim both ends and cut into 4 cm lengths150 g
- Parmigiano ReggianoFor finishing40 g
Method
Cut the vegetables
- 1 Peel 2 potatoes and cut into 2 cm cubes.
- 2 Trim both ends of 150 g green beans and cut into 4 cm lengths.
Ready when
The potatoes should be even 2 cm cubes and the beans 4 cm long.
Boil the potatoes
- 1 Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- 2 Add the potatoes and boil for 5 minutes.
Ready when
After 5 minutes, a chopstick should enter the potatoes but they should still be firm.
Add the beans and pasta
- 1 Add the green beans and boil for another 3 minutes.
- 2 Add the trenette and cook according to the package directions.
Ready when
The pasta should be al dente.
Caution
Time the pasta addition by subtracting the beans’ 3 minutes from the pasta’s stated cooking time.
Reserve cooking water and drain
- 1 Reserve 45 ml cooking water in a cup.
- 2 Drain the pasta and vegetables in a colander.
Ready when
The cooking water should be reserved and the pasta and vegetables drained.
Caution
Do not forget to reserve the cooking water.
Toss with pesto
- 1 Put 120 g pesto in a bowl and loosen with 3 tbsp cooking water.
- 2 Add the pasta and vegetables and toss quickly.
- 3 Plate and scatter with 40 g Parmigiano.
Ready when
It is ready when the pesto evenly coats everything, coloring even the potatoes and beans green.
Caution
Do not heat the pesto: direct heat drives off its aroma.
About this dish
Ligurian home cooking pairs pasta not with pesto and tomato, but with pesto, potatoes and green beans. Thin, flat trenette, potatoes and beans cook together in one pot and are dressed with pesto. This one-pot structure was developed over time by Ligurian fishermen and farmers.
There is a reason for boiling potatoes and beans together. Potato starch forms a film on the pasta that helps the pesto adhere, while the beans’ slight greenness enhances the green of the basil. The combination is a product of experience and observation rather than chance.
Though it appears less often on modern restaurant menus, it remains widely passed down in Ligurian home cooking. Alongside trofie, it shows the diversity of pasta dishes made with pesto.
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