This is delish piglets. It’s fresh, it uses up the last big bunches of Basil before the cold gobbles them up and it is so moreish. Whip up a giant batch and pop it in a bottle or whip up a small batch and use it all in one go. Whatever you do, just make this and delight in the beautiful smells of smashed basil and zesty Parmesan. Oink!
Pinenut, Garlic & Parmesan Pesto Pasta
Feeds: 2 Hungry Piglets.
Prep Time: 15 Mins. Cooking Time: 15 Mins.
Ingredients for Porcine Pesto Perfection:
A Mortar and pestle.
3 x Handfuls of basil leaves
1 x Handful of Pinenuts
1 x Handful of Parmesan Shavings
½ x Garlic Clove
4 x Tbs Olive Oil
½ x Tsp Rock Salt
200g x Dried Spaghetti
1 x Lemon
Method for Porcine Pesto Perfection:
- Pull your basil leaves off the stem.
- Throw your garlic clove (1/2 clove) into your mortar and pestle and remove his skin by smacking him firmly with the pestle (or is it the mortar? This Little Pig can never remember).
- Crush him into a paste using a combination of smacking, swirling and singing “grind baby grind” songs.
- Add in half of your basil leaves (or as many that can fit into the mortar) and a sprinkling of your rock salt (this is an abrasive so it helps break it down) and start ‘mortar and pestling’.
- Once you have broken down those basil leaves continue to add the basil and salt until you have it all in the mortar. Crush, smack and stir until the basil is a lovely pulp – come on piglets you’ve seen the consistency in the shops.
- Once the basil has been successfully smacked to an oblivion start adding in sprinklings of your Parmesan and a drizzle of your oil and continue to do so until you have reached the right taste or you have run out of ingredients. Mix well.
- Add in your pinenuts and crush into the pesto.
- Heat a pot of water to boiling point and add in your dried spaghetti.
- Follow the packet directions until it is cooked to al dente and then drain.
- Stir through a few spoonfuls of your beautiful aromatic pesto and an extra scrunch of pepper and salt.
- Squeeze over your lemon (to your taste) and tuck into this simple rustic deliciousness. Oink.
