TFFJ Signature Pesto Pasta
The TFFJ Signature Pesto Pasta was developed as part of a hands-on cooking lesson at Murry Bergtraum Educational Campus, where multiple schools share space, including the Urban Assembly Maker Academy. As part of the curriculum, students moved beyond making pesto as a standalone skill and learned how to turn it into a complete dish.
Across TFFJ farms, many students already know how to make pesto using leafy greens they grow themselves. This lesson built on that foundation, showing how those same ingredients can anchor a full meal and translate directly to cooking at home.
As one student shared, “I believe that leafy greens have transformed my health because they have changed how I cook, what I cook, and, all in all, changed how I eat.” This recipe reflects that learning, connecting classroom lessons to everyday food choices.
Ingredients (TFFJ Produce Highlighted 🌿):
- 1 box of pasta of your choice
- 2 cups Genovese basil 🌿
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1/3 cup sunflower seeds
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- salt
- pepper
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
Instructions:
- Set a stock pot to a rolling boil and cook the pasta according to the box instructions
- Lightly wash basil. Separate leaves from stems.
- Chop basil slightly to prepare for the blender (optional)
- Smash and peel garlic. Cut the garlic in half to prepare for the blender
- Place garlic, basil, and all other ingredients in the blender and blend till smooth
- Add salt and pepper to taste
- Mix pasta and pesto, garnish with basil leaves or cheese, and serve.
