We are growing herbs in
pots this year and watering by hand. Some have been really successful like our
basil and thyme, while others have turned up their toes and died, like the
oregano which was planted with the thyme. Because the basil was starting to go
to seed, Lynne decided to make a pesto this week and this is how the recipe
evolved. It was influenced by watching Jamie in Italy, where he has been doing
some interesting vegetarian pastas that Nonnas (Italian grandmothers) have
made at home for years. We used a favourite shape called Fusillata which holds
sauce well, but any pasta you like can be used with Pesto, it does stick. You
can also change the nuts if you like
1
cup of fresh Italian Basil - 2 peeled garlic cloves - 20g walnuts - ½ teaspoon
of salt - 1 Tablespoon grated Pecorino cheese
1
Tablespoon of grated Parmesan cheese - 4 Tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil -
100g Ricotta cheese, drained
Freshly ground
black pepper - Pasta of your choice for 4 - 50g baby peas - Parmesan to add at the end
In
a blender, combine the basil, garlic, walnuts, salt, both hard cheeses and one tablespoon
of olive oil. Blend, adding more olive oil slowly to make a finer paste. Then
add the Ricotta. Taste and add more salt if necessary and season with black
pepper. Cook the pasta in well salted water until al dente. Briefly cook the the baby peas; they only need a minute. Drain the pasta and stir in the Pesto. Add
the peas into the pasta at the last moment. Serve with a drizzle
of olive oil and another good grating of Parmesan. Serve with a tomato salad
and a good Sauvignon Blanc
No comments:
Post a Comment