Tallarines Verdes con Bistec (Peruvian Pesto Pasta with Steak)

Name: Tallarines Verdes con Bistec (Peruvian Pesto Pasta with Steak)
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 5 servings
Cuisine: Peruvian
Ingredients: 1 lb spaghetti; 10 oz baby spinach; 1 cup basil leaves; ½ onion, chopped; 4 garlic cloves; ¾ cup evaporated milk; ½ cup queso fresco or feta; ¼ cup walnuts or pecans; ⅓ cup grated Parmesan; 8 oz green beans, trimmed; 1½ lb sirloin, sliced into thin steaks; ¼ cup olive oil; 1 tbsp oil; 1 tbsp red wine vinegar; ½ tsp ground cumin; salt; pepper

DinnerPeruvian40 minServes 5860 kcal53 g protein

Peru's creamy take on pesto: spinach, basil, queso fresco, evaporated milk and walnuts blended into a bright green sauce for spaghetti, topped with a thin, garlicky seared steak.

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Ingredients

1 lb spaghetti
10 oz baby spinach
1 cup basil leaves
½ onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves
¾ cup evaporated milk
½ cup queso fresco or feta
¼ cup walnuts or pecans
⅓ cup grated Parmesan
8 oz green beans, trimmed
1½ lb sirloin, sliced into thin steaks

From your pantry: ¼ cup olive oil, 1 tbsp oil, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, ½ tsp ground cumin, salt, pepper.

Instructions

Rub the steaks with 2 of the garlic cloves (minced), the vinegar, cumin, salt and pepper and set aside while you make the sauce.
Bring a big pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch the spinach and basil in it for 20 seconds, scoop out and squeeze dry. Add the green beans for 4 minutes, scoop out, then cook the spaghetti until al dente. Save 1 cup of pasta water.
Meanwhile soften the onion in 1 tbsp of the olive oil over medium heat, about 6 minutes.
Blend the greens, onion, remaining garlic, evaporated milk, queso fresco, walnuts and the rest of the olive oil until smooth and bright green. Season with salt and pepper.
Sear the steaks in the oil in a very hot skillet, 1 to 2 minutes a side for thin steaks, then rest them for 3 minutes.
Toss the drained spaghetti and green beans with the sauce over low heat, loosening with pasta water. Serve topped with Parmesan and a steak on each plate.

Tip: Don't boil the sauce once it hits the pasta or it loses its color; just warm it through. Peruvians often swap the steak for a breaded chicken cutlet.