Pesto Pasta
Homemade pesto will taste so much better than anything shop bought and it is easy peasy to remember. Just equal quantities basil, Parmesan, pine nuts, olive oil. I blitz it with a small hand held blender and pot attachment (any small blender will do) but a mortar and pestle is obviously more traditional.
A dollop of homemade pesto is such a useful thing to have on standby; it elevates so many dishes from simple cooked pasta, or boiled potatoes, to a simple chicken breast, or piece of grilled fish, I also love a spoonful dolloped into a bowl of warm soup. It is so good, you'll be making it again and again.
ingredients
100g basil leaves, remove the woodier stalks
100g Parmesan cheese
100g pine nuts
100ml-125ml olive oil
a little more oil, for storing the pesto
method
Prep the basil leaves, and remove the bigger and woodier stalks. Weigh all the ingredients into the blender and blend. Add a little more oil if needed. The pesto is ready.
Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions, reserve a little cooking water. Add the pesto to pasta and add a few tablespoons of the water back into the pasta and pesto. The starch in the water helps the pesto become “creamy” and adhere to the pasta.
To store the pesto -
store in an airtight container, with a layer of olive oil, in the fridge for 3-5 days.
freeze in ice cube trays, just cover each portion with a little olive oil to protect the pesto. It will keep for up to 3 months.