“This has to be one of the simplest and freshest everyday meals. Tahlia’s son, Ari, loves pesto pasta, and swears that this recipe is the best one he has tried. Native basil is easy to grow in the garden, so you can have a ready supply of ingredients for making this dish. If you are wanting an easy meal that celebrates one of our unsung native ingredients, this is a winner.”
INGREDIENTS
300 g pasta of your choice
½ cup (40 g) fresh bush basil, roughly chopped
1½ cups (75 g) basil leaves
½ cup (80 g) pine nuts
2 garlic cloves
½ teaspoon salt
Pinch of pepperberry powder
70 g parmesan cheese, grated, plus extra to serve
Juice of ½ lemon
½ cup (125 ml) extra virgin olive oil
TO SERVE
Fresh bush basil leaves
METHOD
Bring a large pot of water to the boil and cook the pasta according to the packet instructions.
Before draining the pasta, scoop out ½ cup (125 ml) of the water and set aside. In a high-powered blender, combine the bush basil, basil, pine nuts, garlic, salt, pepperberry, parmesan, lemon juice and olive oil to form a paste and pour it into a bowl.
Add a drop of water to the blender and shake well to get out the last little bit of the paste, pouring it into the pesto bowl. Stir the pesto through the freshly drained pasta.
Add a drop of the reserved pasta water at a time, mixing well, until the pasta is well coated and the sauce is a silky, smooth consistency.
Serve with fresh bush basil leaves and extra grated parmesan cheese.
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