Ingredients
- 250g trofie or penne
- 4 small potatoes, scrubbed and cut into quarters
- 20 green beans, trimmed and cut in half
- freshly grated parmesan
For the pesto
- 75g fresh basil, picked and washed
- 2 tablespoons of pine nuts
- 1 garlic clove
- pinch of sea salt
- 200ml extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan
Trofie with pesto
Method
First make the pesto. Place the garlic and the pine nuts with a pinch of salt into a large mortar and pestle and grind to a paste. Add a few basil leaves and a little olive oil and grind to a paste.
Continue this until you have used all the basil and about half the olive oil so that the sauce is silky. Then add the remaining oil and Parmesan and mix together.
Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and add the pasta, potatoes and the green beans. Cook until the pasta is al dente and the vegetable are tender.
Drain out the water and put the pasta, beans and potato into a large bowl, add the pesto and toss all the ingredients together. Season to taste and add more Parmesan if you wish. Serve immediately.
Tips and Tricks
Keep basil in a glass of water and wrapped in a plastic bag in your fridge. It should last a week or so stored in this way. Remember to change the water regularly to prevent mould and decay.
Hard cheeses store excellently in the freezer. Grate fully and keep in a sealed plastic bag – cheese can be used in cooking straight from frozen.
Potatoes do best stored in a dark cool environment. Keep them out of the fridge and out of sunlight if you can – this will help prevent sprouting and shrivelling. The back of a cupboard or the bottom of a pantry are ideal.