I’m a sucker for a big bowl of pasta pesto, but it’s been so long since I’ve had any that I was working up a serious appetite for this pesto recipe. I’m also a HUGE fan of petit pois peas, they’re so tiny and sweet and they make a great snack with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of salt.
Combine the two, pesto and peas, with some pasta and you’ve got yourself a deliciously fresh and sweet plate of food that takes only a couple of minutes to prepare. Even better if you add in some toasted pistachios.
Serves 4-6 for pesto and 2 for pasta
Ingredients:
– 1 cup frozen petit pois peas (garden peas will do also)
– 1/2 cup pistachio nuts
– 1 handful fresh basil leaves
– 7-8 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
– 1 clove garlic
– Some salt for seasoning
– 300g linguine
– sundried tomatoes, optional
Method:
1. Bring a kettle of water to the boil. Place nuts in a pan over a medium heat and toast for a couple of minutes, tossing every 30 seconds or so. Set to the side to cool.
2. When the water has boiled pour over the peas to defrost. If using sundried tomatoes you can cover them with hot water too to soften them little.
3. Add the rest of the water to a large pan, add salt and pasta and cook pasta until a little less cooked than al dente. Strain the pasta keeping one cup of the cooking water to the side.
4. This should be done every time you make a dish like this, as the pasta will continue to cook in the pesto and the cooking water is more starchy, giving more substance to the dish.
5. Strain the peas and add to a food processor along with the basil, cooked nuts, chopped garlic clove, and a pinch of salt.
6. Blend on medium power for a more coarse pesto. Slowly add the oil to the mix until you’re happy with the consistency.
7. Add a couple of tablespoons of the pesto to a large pan, followed by the pasta. Add a little of the cooking water and mix well. Continue to cook the pasta until it is ready; it should still be al dente, if your pasta is soft then it’s overcooked. Share and enjoy!
Tanya is a vegan food blogger who set up The Tiny Vegan Kitchen blog in 2015.
Since then she has expanded into hosting Supper Clubs and giving Cooking workshops from her home in Dublin.
Tanya’s recipes include vegan versions of her favourite wholesome foods and celebrate the array of ingredients that are available to us to create and enjoy delicious food.
She also loves a hearty meal and throughout her blog she calls on the cuisines of countries that she’s visited to provide the inspiration for some of her recipes.
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