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Rotelline pasta with broad beans, asparagus & homemade pesto

Rotelline pasta with broad beans, asparagus & homemade pesto

    Don't reach for the pesto jar for this pasta dish, why not try making your own?

    • Preparation: 10 mins
    • Cooking: 20 mins
    • Serves: 4

    What you need:

    • 100g pine nuts
    • 1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
    • 1 large bunch of basil, chopped
    • 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
    • 100g Parmesan, grated
    • Salt and pepper
    • 150g asparagus, tough ends removed
    • 200g broad beans, podded (approx. 400g unpodded)
    • 400g Rotelline pasta

    What you do:

    1. To make the pesto, smash the pine nuts, garlic and basil in a pestle and mortar, then add the oil and Parmesan, season with salt and pepper, and set aside. OR blend in a food processer.
    2. Cut the tips off the asparagus and slice the rest.
    3. In a medium sized pan of boiling salted water blanch the broad beans and asparagus for 2 minutes, then drain and refresh under cold running water.
    4. Squeeze the beans out of their shells and set aside with the asparagus.
    5. In a large pan of salted boiling water, cook the pasta to the packet's instructions. At the last minute add the asparagus and broad beans, then drain and place in a large bowl.
    6. Mix in the pesto and divide between 4 warm bowls and serve

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