Pasta al Pesto

Alice Waters: The Art of Simple Food; Day 1; Recipe 1

This was a quick and easy meal.  My pesto was a bit rough-textured, as i do not have the called-for motor and pestle and so instead used my Vitamix.  But the flavor came together well with prominent but not overpowering olive oil and garlic, subtle pine nut, parmesan and basil.  Paul commented that the pesto was green-tasting, but could have been more so.  Perhaps it would have had the pesto been more cohesive.  Rich and tasty, and of restaurant-quality more so than home quality.  Slightly salty because for the first time ever i was a bit heavy-handed with salting my pasta water when normally i am at fault for under-salting it.  I think some tomatoes would have gone nicely with this dish, while Paul thought something more savory, like mushrooms.  We both agreed on the addition of a crusty hunk of bread.