Easy weeknight pesto pasta

Ingredients

• 100g pine nuts, almonds or other nuts
• 2 bunches fresh basil, around 150g 
• 100g Parmesan or vegetarian alternative
• 300ml olive oil or rapeseed oil
• 5 cloves of garlic 
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Lemon juice, optional, to taste

For the pasta:

• 100g dried pasta per person

Directions

1. To cook the pasta, cook as per instructions on the packaging. Alternatively, bring several litres of water to the boil and add lots of salt, then add the pasta and cook for 8-10 minutes or until al dente. Reserve a cup of pasta water to finish the dish.
2. To make the pasta, roast the nuts or pine nuts in a pan over a medium heat or in the oven until golden and toasty. Add the remaining ingredients, except the oil, to a food processor and blend roughly. Add the oil bit by bit and blend until smooth. Taste for seasoning and add some lemon juice if necessary.
3. To finish, add two big tablespoons of pesto to the drained pasta in a bowl or pot. Mix together with a little pasta water to loosen. Divide between bowls and garnish with a sprinkle of Parmesan and a squeeze of lemon juice.

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Tips

• If you don't have enough basil, use some spinach, spring onions or rocket to top it up.
• If you don't fancy using a lot of Parmesan, add it to taste instead - it has quite a strong flavour!