Pasta pesto, probably we all have our own recipe for it. But how are others doing? Ella Woodward shares with us the recipe from her book Deliciously Ella.
Ella: 'When my friends come over for an easy dinner, I prefer to serve them this dish. It's simple to make, tastes great and makes you happy. It contains a lot of green vegetables, so it is also very healthy. The homemade pesto is superb:wonderfully creamy because of the Brazil nuts and avocado, and the arugula and lemon provide a spicy edge that makes every bite bursting with flavour.'
Ingredients for 4 people
1 mug of Brazil nuts (120 g)
½ mug of pine nuts (50 g)
1½ avocado
2 large handfuls of arugula (50 g)
1 large handful of fresh basil ( 30 g)
juice of 1½ lemon
8 tbsp olive oil, plus a little extra for the vegetables
salt and pepper
500 g penne
2 courgettes
1 head of broccoli
1½ mug of peas (225 g)
Get started
Put the Brazil nuts and pine nuts in the food processor for about a minute, until they are completely ground. Add the avocado, arugula, basil, lemon juice, olive oil, 8 tbsp water and salt and pepper. Run again until you have a smooth, creamy pesto.
Cook the pasta. Meanwhile, cut the courgette into thin slices and the broccoli into small florets and put them in the frying pan with some olive oil, salt and pepper. Stir-fry for 5-7 minutes until everything is cooked through. Meanwhile, put the peas in a pan of cold water and bring to the boil.
Drain the peas as soon as the water boils. Mix the pesto, peas and stir-fried vegetables through the cooked pasta.
Top tip
Make double the pesto and put half of it in the fridge so you can use it with your next meal. You make grains and vegetables delicious with it and you can dip raw vegetables in it if you feel like a snack.
In the November issue of Santé you will find our overview of the best food bloggers. Including Deliciously Ella of course!
Recipe and image:Ella Woodward
