Summer Pesto

Every time I have a basil overload, I make tons and tons of pesto. My pesto usually contains: masses of basil, a little garlic, lots of olive oil, toasted walnuts, and a bit of salt. I leave out the parmesan (it's expensive and I can always add it to the pasta later), and forgo expensive pine nuts. This recipe is one way I use the boxes of frozen pesto from my freezer while incorporating tons of veggies.

Serves a good 6-8 people quite easily given the large volume

1 pound whole wheat fusilli (I used Trader Joes, which is excellent)
8 ounces pesto
3 medium summer squash, diced
1 medium onion, diced
4 green peppers, diced
1 bunch of rainbow chard, sliced thinly
about 1-2 inches of nice salami, sliced thinly into strips
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a large saute pan. Add onions and saute until softened over medium-high heat. Add salami strips and cook for a few seconds until they begin to sizzle. Then add green peppers, summer squash, and chard one at a time, sauteeing for a few minutes in between each addition. When everything is just cooked to your liking, remove from heat and empty out into a large bowl. Season to taste with a little salt and pepper.

Prepare pasta according to box directions, but remember to leave the pasta pretty al dente so it doesn't get overcooked. Save a little of the pasta water in case you need to thin out the pesto. Drain pasta and dump into the large bowl with the summer veggies. Toss everything with the pesto, adding pasta water and olive oil as needed until the pasta is nicely coated.