Penne Rigate with Smoked Salmon and Avocado Pesto

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• 400 g penne rigate
• 2 ripe avocados
• 200 g smoked salmon
• 0.5 cup fresh basil leaves
• 0.25 cup pine nuts
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 0.25 tsp black pepper

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1. 1 Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the penne rigate according to package instructions until al dente.
2. 2 While the pasta cooks, prepare the avocado pesto: in a food processor, combine the avocado flesh, basil, pine nuts, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth.
3. 3 Reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water, then drain the penne.
4. 4 Return the pasta to the pot over very low heat. Add the avocado pesto and a splash of the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce to your desired consistency.
5. 5 Gently fold in the torn pieces of smoked salmon.
6. 6 Serve immediately, garnished with extra fresh basil or a pinch of red pepper flakes if desired.