Because it’s fairly simple, this dish is best served as a starter. If you want to serve it as a main course, you’ll need to add more to it, like chopped blanched broccoli and green beans, diced smoked chicken or prawns.
Ingredients
| 150 g | Pistachios, unsalted and shelled, lightly toasted (Main) |
| 1 handful | Mint leaves (Main) |
| 1 handful | Parsley leaves |
| 2 | Garlic cloves, peeled |
| 150 ml | Extra virgin olive oil |
| 100 g | Parmesan cheese, finely grated |
| 400 g | Linguine pasta (Main) |
Directions
- Reserve 2 Tbsp of the nuts, then put the remainder in a food processor with the mint, parsley and garlic. Blitz for 10 seconds, then scrape down the bowl.
- Add a little salt and half the oil, then blitz for 5 seconds.
- Add about two-thirds of the cheese and the remaining oil and blitz for another 5 seconds. Pour into a large warm bowl and taste for seasoning.
- Cook the linguine in lightly salted water until al dente.
- Take 50ml (just over 3 Tbsp) of the cooking water and add it to the pesto.
- Drain the pasta in a colander and add to the pesto. Toss it all together thoroughly and taste for seasoning.
- Serve in warmed bowls with the remaining parmesan and pistachios sprinkled on top.
This recipe is from Peter Gordon's new