All pesto is good, but this pesto - courtesy of our gorgeous Event Production Assistant Bridie - is heaven. It's nourishing, comforting and packed full of flavour. And the best bit? It's super quick to make.
This'll become a mid-week staple in no time.
Ingredients
- Fresh basil - the whole bunch (or approx 2 cups if you're a measuring person)
- 1/4 cup freshly grated parmasan
- 1/4 - 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (depends on the consistancy)
- 1/3 cup almonds
- 2 garlic cloves
- Juice of a lemon
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 punnets of cherry or grape tomatoes
- 300g button mushrooms, cut into slices
- Pasta (whatever type you like... brown rice spaghetti is nice for a GF option)
Method
- Add the garlic and almonds to a food processor and blend.
- Remove the basil leaves from the stems and add leaves to the food processor and blend.
- Add olive oil, lemon juice and parmesan, blending between each until the pesto mix is at the right consistency - it should be thick, kinda like chunky hummus. If it's not thick enough, add more almonds.
- Put the pasta on to cook, as per the instructions on the packet.
- Put a pan onto medium heat, add a glug of olive oil and sauté the mushrooms. Add the tomatoes and cook for a bit (about 5 mins). Remove from heat and get an egg lifter and 'squash' the tomatoes until they're all mooshy and delicious looking. Add salt, to taste.
- Add pasta to bowls, add a generous spoon of pesto and stir through. Add tomato/mushroom mix on top and stir through more. Top with parmasan. Enjoy!
Note: This image is not Bridie's pesto pasta - but it's the best we could find! The tomatoes should mix into the pasta... more delicious that way :D
