Tapenesto
Unfairly derided by many as simply a student meal for people who can't cook, pesto pasta is easily one of our favourite meals over at BOSH! HQ. Easy and packed full of fresh herby flavours - pesto pasta ticks so many foodie boxes. This time around we've taken our pesto to the next level by making an olive tapenade-inspired version. This is not pesto pasta as you know it, and we think you'll absolutely love it.
Serves
Ingredients
For the recipe
<item-todo-done>200g quality pitted green olives<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>60g fresh basil<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>50ml quality olive oil<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 small garlic clove<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>100g pine nuts<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>20g Nooch<item-todo-done><item-todo-done> salt and pepper to taste<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>250g spaghetti<item-todo-done><item-todo-done> handful of crushed nuts to garnish<item-todo-done>
Before you start
Food processor | Small Frying pan | Large saucepan | Large high sided frying pan
Prepare the ingredients
- Open the olives, tip into a sieve and rinse under cold water.
- Tear the basil leaves from the stems (save a few small, pretty leaves for garnish).
- Peel the garlic.
- Add the pine nuts to the pan and lightly toast over a high heat until golden in colour (approx 2 minutes).
Make the Tapenesto
- Add the olives, basil (include some stems if you like), olive oil, garlic, pine nuts and nooch to the food processor and blitz into a pesto.
- Taste and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Prepare the pasta
- Add the pasta to a large pot of boiling salted water and cook according to pack instructions (approx 9 mins).
Finish and serve
- When the pasta has 2 minutes left to cook, put the frying pan on the stove over medium heat, add a ladleful of pasta water and bring to a simmer.
- Add the Tapenesto to the pan, stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Drain the pasta, add to the pan, fold to coat, transfer to serving bowls, garnish with the reserved basil leaves and crushed nuts if using, and serve immediately.