SPAGHETTI WITH ASPARAGUS, WALNUTS & PESTO

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Serves 4

Preparation: 10 minutes

Cooking Time 10 minutes

 

 

Ingredients

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300g spaghetti (we used a vegan non wheat variety)
salt

Pack of Young Spinach Leaves or head of brocolli cut into small florets

For the Pesto
100g Toasted Pine Nuts
1 fat garlic clove garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
50g flat-leaf parsley leaves

50g pack basil

Half x 200g can Waitrose garlic stuffed green olives
About 150ml good olive oil
Juice of ½ lemon
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
100g hard, tasty cheese – parmesan or pecorino, grated

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To Garnish

Walnuts

40g Parmiigiano Reggiano, grated

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AND THIS IS WHAT YOU DO......

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1.   Firstly bring a large pot of heavily salted water to the boil.

2.   To make the pesto, place the walnuts, cheese, garlic and parsley leaves into a food processor and pulse to blend. With the food processor on, drizzle in the oil and juice of lemon, season lightly with salt and pepper and blend for a minute to emulsify.  Taste once more and set aside until ready.

3.   Cook the spaghetti as directed or until al dente (tender to the bite). 

 

4.   Five minutes before end of cooking, add brocollli florets - or if using spinach, add three minutes before end of cooking so it only wilts very slightly.

4.   Drain the pasta, reserving ¼ cup of liquid.

5.   Spoon over half the pesto and toss to combine.

6.   Add 1 – 2 tablespoons of the cooking water to loosen up the pesto and to help give the sauce a lovely gloss.  If you think you need more pesto then by all means add until you are happy with the flavour.

7.   Check for seasoning, and serve with extra cheese and garnish with walnuts