Pesto Pasta Salad

This is my second attempt at this summer salad, and it turned out exactly how I had hoped it would this time. However, the measurements are by no means exact, as I used the taste-and-season method.

The recipe is taken from elements in this basic pesto but I never seem to have enough basil for a classic pesto and G isn't a big fan of garlic. The idea is to include equal parts nuts and cheese with a double to quadruple amount of basil.

Here's a rough estimate of my ingredients:

• 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
• 1 handful of Italian parsley
  
• 1/3 cup walnuts, roughly chopped (pine nuts are nearly impossible to find down here)
• 1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 2 T. olive oil
• 1 T. mayonnaise
  
• 1 squeeze of lemon
• 1 generous pinch of salt (depending on saltiness of cheese)
  
• 3 turns of the pepper grinder
• 1 1/2-2 c. whole grain spiral pasta (I just dumped in what I had left - no exact idea)
• 1 1/2 c. grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 splash of pasta water

Boil pasta in salted water until cooked to your preference and drain, reserving a small amount of pasta water (I kept 1/2 c. to be on the safe side). Combine basil, parsley, nuts, cheese, salt and pepper in food processor and blend until the nuts are in tiny pieces. Add olive oil, mayo, and lemon juice and process until fully combined. In a large bowl, combine pasta and pesto, adding pasta water as necessary to evenly coat the pasta with the pesto. Stir in tomatoes. Super yum.

Hopefully my basil will grow enough to satisfy my need for pesto throughout the summer!