Spaghetti with pea & mint pesto

A new take on an old favourite

  • Cook:40 mins
  • Serves 4
  • Easy

Nutrition per serving

  • kcal 640
  • fat 32g
  • saturates 6g
  • carbs 72g
  • sugars 0g
  • fibre 6g
  • protein 21g
  • salt 0.3g

Ingredients

  • 250g shelled fresh peas (just under 900g/2lb in their pods)
  • 2 fat garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 50g pine nuts, toasted
  • 50g fresh parmesan cheese, chopped into small chunks
  • good handful fresh mint leaves (about 20g/¾)
  • 6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 350g dried spaghetti
  • freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • extra-virgin olive oil

Method

  1. Cook the peas in boiling water for 2-3 minutes until just tender, then drain and refresh in cold water. Pat dry.

  2. Tip the peas into a food processor and add the garlic, pine nuts, parmesan, mint and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, then pulse very briefly until the ingredients are roughly chopped. Don’t overdo it – they should still have lots of texture. (You can freeze the pesto at this point.)

  3. Cook the spaghetti according to packet instructions until al dente – that’s with a bit of bite still. Drain, reserving some of the cooking water.

  4. To serve, toss the spaghetti with the pesto and about 2 tbsp of the water. Pile into warmed bowls and serve at once, with parmesan and olive oil at the table.

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