# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz penne or fusilli pasta
02 - Salt for pasta water
→ Pesto Sauce
03 - 4 oz light cream cheese, softened
04 - 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 1 cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
06 - 2 tablespoons pine nuts, plus extra for garnish
07 - 2 garlic cloves
08 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
09 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste
10 - Juice of 1/2 lemon
→ Garnish
11 - Extra fresh basil leaves
12 - Additional grated Parmesan cheese
# Cooking Steps:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain.
02 - While pasta cooks, add basil, pine nuts, garlic, and Parmesan to a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped.
03 - Add cream cheese, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to the food processor. Process until smooth and creamy. Add pasta water splash if needed to loosen the sauce.
04 - Return drained pasta to the pot. Add cream cheese pesto sauce and toss to coat, gradually adding reserved pasta water until the sauce is silky and clings to the pasta.
05 - Divide pasta among serving plates. Top with extra pine nuts, fresh basil, and Parmesan cheese as desired.
