Hill & Vine’s Cilantro Pesto Pasta
Everything at Hill & Vine in Fredericksburg celebrates Texas, from the Hill Country wines they feature to their support of local ranchers and farmers. This twist on a classic Italian pesto is made with cilantro and pepitas instead of the traditional basil and pine nuts, highlighting the Mexican culture that’s so integral to our state. If you prep the whipped burrata and cilantro pesto in advance, this meal comes together quickly!
Ingredients
- 20 ounces penne pasta
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow squash cut into a ½-inch dice
- 1 medium zucchini cut into a ½-inch dice
- 1 cup ½-inch diced peeled and seeded calabaza squash
- 1 cup grape tomatoes
- 4 shallots thinly sliced
- 8 garlic cloves 6 sliced and 2 reserved for the toast
- Kosher salt and pepper
- ½ to 1 cup cilantro pesto (recipe link in Notes)
- ½ cup whipped burrata (recipe link in Notes)
- 4 pieces thick-cut Texas toast toasted
Instructions
- In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the pasta according to package instructions.
- Meanwhile, in a large straight-sided sauté pan or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the yellow squash, zucchini, calabazas squash, tomatoes, and shallots. Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until they’re tender and beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the sliced garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the garlic is aromatic, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the cooked pasta and the pesto until everything is nicely coated. Add more pesto, if needed.
- Divide the pasta between four shallow bowls and top with a dollop of the whipped burrata.
- While the Texas toast is still hot, rub with the reserved garlic cloves. Halve the toast on the bias and serve alongside your pasta.
Notes
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