Preparation Steps

• Gather the ingredients.
• Wash the spinach thoroughly to remove any sand and grit. Remove and discard the stems and then rinse the leaves again. Chop the leaves coarsely. You should have about 4 to 6 cups of packed leaves or about 6 to 8 ounces.
• Place about 1 cup of the spinach leaves, the garlic, pine nuts, basil, and a few teaspoons of the olive oil in a food processor container fitted with the metal blade. Cover and pulse until the leaves begin to look crushed. Continue adding spinach to the blender, a handful at a time, along with small amounts of oil. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl and push the leaves down.
• Add the Parmesan cheese and kosher salt, to taste. Cover and continue to process until the mixture is smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings. Add more salt and more Parmesan cheese, if you like. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to package directions; drain in a colander, reserving about ½ cup of the cooking water.
• Toss the hot drained pasta with about half of the spinach pesto mixture along with a tablespoon or two of the cooking water to moisten. Continue to add more of the pesto with small amounts of water (as needed), a little at a time, until the pasta is well coated.
• Enjoy.