Page title and description

Vegetarian mains
pasta with spinach, walnut and basil pesto
Cook's notes
Variation Swap the walnuts for almonds or hazelnuts. For a complete change, instead of pasta try slicing courgettes lengthways into 0.5cm strips, then into thin noodle-like strands instead. Toss them raw into the pesto, or warm them both through so the courgettes soften and wilt a little.Ingredients
- 30g walnut pieces
- 20g pine nuts
- 400g dried pasta (any type; use your preferred shape)
- 2 garlic cloves
- ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- zest of ½ and juice of 1 lemon
- 200g spinach, washed well, any larger, tough stalks removed
- 100g Parmesan or vegetarian alternative, grated
- 50g basil
- 100ml olive oil, more if needed
- salt and pepper
Method
Prep time:
10 min
PT10M
Cooking time:
20 min
PT20M
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Step 1
Stir the walnut pieces in a dry frying pan on a low heat for a minute or so, to lightly toast them. Repeat with the pine nuts, keeping a good eye on them as they catch and burn easily. Add the pasta to a large pan of boiling salted water and cook according to the packet instructions. -
Step 2
While the pasta cooks, put the walnuts, pine nuts, garlic, nutmeg, lemon zest and juice, spinach, half the Parmesan and all but a few leaves of the basil in a food processor. Blitz, gradually pouring in oil until the mixture forms a rough paste. Season with salt and pepper to taste. -
Step 3
Drain the pasta, reserving a ladle of the cooking water, then toss with enough pesto to coat, adding a little of the reserved water to thin the sauce if needed. Stir in the remaining Parmesan, check the seasoning and serve, garnished with the reserved basil leaves.