Best-Ever Pesto Pasta Recipe

When it comes to easy dinner recipes,pesto pasta is one of the easiest Italian classics (and one of the most delicious!). The sauce consists of just five basic ingredients – here’s how to make the best-ever pesto pasta.

Serves: 2

Ingredients

Large handful of fresh Basil

1/4 cup of Olive Oil

1-2 cloves Garlic (peeled)

Parmesan Cheese, to taste

2 Tablespoons Pine Nuts

Method

1. Cook your chosen pasta in boiling salted water. Meanwhile, make the pesto. After gathering the fresh basil, strip the leaves from the stem and throw them into a food processor with the olive oil, the garlic, parmesan, pine nuts and a pinch of salt. Grind it down into an oily green paste. If it seems too dry, splash in a little more olive oil. Taste – does it need more salt? A little more Parmesan?

2. Drain the pasta, reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking water. Stir the pesto through the pasta, adding a little cooking water if the sauce is too thick. Keep tossing to coat all the pasta.

3. Pesto is great to have on hand not just for pasta, but as a dipping sauce for raw vegetables, marinade for fish or meat, or a spread in sandwiches.