Pasta, Potatoes and Pesto

It sounds like a weird combination, but it's really good. I found this recipe in The Vegetarian Epicure by Anna Thomas, and I assumed she had invented it. Turns out it's a traditional Italian dish . . . which somewhat revises my ideas of the Italians. Anyway, here it is:

3 medium potatoes, sliced or diced into fairly small pieces
about 3/4 lb. fresh green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 lb. pasta
4-6 oz. basil pesto

Put the potatoes into a large pot, along with one gallon of cold water and one tbl. of salt. Bring to a boil, then add the pasta and green beans. Cook until the pasta is done.

Drain all of it into a colander, then put it back in the warm pot and add the pesto. Mix well.

That's it. Simple, cheap, good. Three of my favorite things.

Variations: you can use any type of pasta. I prefer the short kinds like penne or fusilli. The potatoes can either be cut very small, so that they break up and form part of the sauce, or somewhat larger, if you enjoy interacting with lumps of potato. Also, apparently you can use peas instead of green beans. Not sure I'd like that.