Pesto Animals snail: pesto spaghetti coiled into a spiral shell with trailing strands and googly eyes

PESTO ANIMALS

Name: Pesto Animals: Green Pasta Animals
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients: 25 g pine nuts, or cashews; 2 garlic cloves; 3 bunches fresh basil, about 60–80 g basil leaves, washed and patted dry; 80 g Parmesan and/or Pecorino, finely grated; 125 ml extra virgin olive oil; Sea salt and a pinch of black pepper; Besides basil pesto, you can also use wild garlic pesto or pumpkin seed pesto. Both recipes can be found in the Basics section.; 250–320 g pasta total; Spaghetti for the snake or snail; Fusilli for the turtle shell or snail head; A little pasta water to loosen the pesto; FOODMONSTAS WAFER EYES, 15 mm or 22 mm, depending on the size of the pasta animals; A few short cucumber strips, chives or soft spaghetti ends, for antennae or legs

These are our green Pesto FOODMONSTAS: simple pasta animals made with tasty basil pesto and FOODMONSTAS WAFER EYES. Other green pesto recipes from our site work just as well.

30 MINUTES

EASY

4 SERVINGS

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INGREDIENTS

FOR THE BASIL PESTO

25 g pine nuts, or cashews

2 garlic cloves

3 bunches fresh basil, about 60–80 g basil leaves, washed and patted dry

80 g Parmesan and/or Pecorino, finely grated

125 ml extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt and a pinch of black pepper

PESTO ALTERNATIVES

Besides basil pesto, you can also use wild garlic pesto or pumpkin seed pesto. Both recipes can be found in the Basics section.

FOR THE PASTA

250–320 g pasta total

Spaghetti for the snake or snail

Fusilli for the turtle shell or snail head

A little pasta water to loosen the pesto

FOR THE ANIMAL DETAILS

FOODMONSTAS WAFER EYES, 15 mm or 22 mm, depending on the size of the pasta animals

A few short cucumber strips, chives or soft spaghetti ends, for antennae or legs

PREPARATION

Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan until golden, then let them cool slightly. Peel the garlic and roughly chop it.
Crush the pine nuts and garlic in a mortar until smooth. For a quicker version, use a blender — pulse only briefly so the pesto does not get warm or bitter.
Add a pinch of salt and the basil leaves. Crush or blend into a green paste. Stir in the Parmesan and olive oil until the pesto is creamy. Season with salt and a little pepper.
Cook the chosen pasta according to the package instructions. Reserve a little pasta water, then drain.
Mix the pasta with pesto and a splash of pasta water until it is glossy and evenly coated. Choose one animal version and shape it directly on the plate while the pasta is still warm and flexible.
Shape the pasta directly on the plates. If it starts to stick, add a little more pesto or pasta water.

ANIMAL IDEAS: CHOOSE JUST ONE

PESTO SNAKE — Arrange spaghetti on the plate in a long curved S-shape as the snake body. Form a small head at one end from a loose spaghetti coil. Carefully place two FOODMONSTAS WAFER EYES on the head shortly before serving.
FUSILLI TURTLE — Pile the fusilli into a small round shell in the center. Add cucumber strips as four legs and place a small fusilli pile beside it as the head. Carefully place two FOODMONSTAS WAFER EYES on the head shortly before serving.
PESTO SNAIL — Twist the spaghetti into a large round spiral for the shell. Add a small fusilli pile or a little extra pasta beside the spiral as the head. Lay two short cucumber strips, chives or soft spaghetti ends flat above the head as antennae. Place two FOODMONSTAS WAFER EYES on the head or at the antenna tips shortly before serving.

The amounts are flexible. These shapes are meant as inspiration, choose one and start building. Add the FOODMONSTAS WAFER EYES only shortly before serving so the wafer paper does not soften. 15 mm eyes work well for smaller pasta animals; 22 mm eyes suit larger ones. Serve within 5–8 minutes so the pasta stays warm.

PESTO ANIMALS

INGREDIENTS

PREPARATION

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