Pasta with Garden Pesto

There are some advantages to being a very lazy gardener; namely that if you don't do much with a broccoli or a kale plant, for example, it will often just 're-activate' itself and start growing lots, especially when no-one is watching. (Yes, I am aware that 're-activate is not a commonly known or used garden term....) Brilliantly, the same can be said of old rocket plants, and little sprigs of past-it parsley and chervil, which is why I have lots of herbs, growing in surprising places all over the garden. With the addition of some kale, garlic and pine nuts, these herb leaves (some a bit knarly...) made the best garden pesto; and a deliciously easy summer supper (wherever you source yours from).

Ingredients

  • Pasta
  • Kale
  • Rocket
  • Chives
  • Parsley
  • Chervil
  • Marjoram
  • Oregano
  • Chard
  • Broad Bean Leaves
  • Dill
  • Garlic
  • Olive Oil
  • Pine Nuts
  • Lemon

Wash all your Herbs – and some leaves of Broccoli or Kale if you have them too… Use s few very large handfuls of whatever herby combination suits you – the addition of Basil would be good here too although I didn’t have any…

Either whizz them up in a food processor with a handful of Pine Nuts and a few cloves of Garlic OR you can finely chop it all (or use a pestle & mortar?!)… Add a big drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and some Salt & Pepper (you could use Anchovies too…)  Maybe a little chopped fresh Chilli?!

Once your Pesto is mixed, it is ready to serve!

It is especially good with Pasta… Cook yours according to the instructions; reserve a jug of cooking water before draining; and put the Pasta and Pesto in the hot pan, stirring… Add some of the cooking water, an extra drizzle of Olive Oil…  Taste and season (maybe some extra Salt?!) and serve with a squeeze of Lemon, some extra chopped Herbs and a handful of homemade Breadcrumbs

This Pesto would also be delicious with some grilled White Fish…  or with some BBQ’s Veg and Wholegrain Rice…

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