Farfalle with Ham and Pesto and Lime Water

It’s getting to be a routine and I must say it’s a good one whatever I prepare for Alex’s packed school lunch, I make more than enough so that whatever’s left becomes breakfast for Speedy and myself. Today, it’s bow-tie pasta with pesto and ham. Instead of juice which is loaded with sugar, I served breakfast with lime water.

About the lime water. At UCC Vienna Cafe, water is flavored with lemon. Not squeezed slices are simply added to the pitcher so that what you get is aromatic water sans any sour notes. So, I thought I’d try it at home with lime because that’s what we have in the fridge right now. Simply refreshing! I’m thinking of adding sprigs of fresh mint next time.

For the pasta dish, to serve three, simply boil the noodles 40 to 60 grams per person. They don’t have to be bow ties. You can use any pasta shape that you like. When cooked, drain. While the pasta boils, cut enough ham into small cubes to measure 1/2 cup.

Make the pesto. If you’re making only a small amount, you can prepare everything by hand. For the pasta for three that I prepared this morning, I used 12 large sweet basil leaves, freshly picked from the garden, which I chopped with two cloves of garlic. When the pasta was ready, I dumped them into a large bowl, added the ham, basil, and garlic mixture, then poured just enough extra virgin coconut oil to coat each piece of pasta. Then, a few squeezes of lime juice, some salt, and freshly ground pepper. I tossed everything together and, presto! Done. The pasta dish is delicious even without cheese. But if you think that no pasta dish is complete without cheese, you may add grated cheese to the pasta before tossing it. Or you may sprinkle grated cheese on top before serving.