Fusion pasta… is there anything better? All the comfort from pasta but with an Asian twist, my homemade pesto is green, great-looking and gorgeous to boot. And, at just 15 minutes to make, it’s perfect for when you need dinner in a flash.
Thai Basil Pesto Pasta
1 garlic clove
¼ cup cashews
4 cups Thai basil leaves
1 cup baby spinach
50g (1.7 oz) parmesan cheese, plus extra to serve, finely grated
½ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
200g (7 oz) bucatini pasta (or any pasta of your choice)
sea salt
- Use a large mortar and pestle to pound the garlic and a pinch of salt to a fine paste. Add the cashews and pound again until finely crushed. Add the basil a handful at a time, pounding until fairly smooth each time. Then add in the baby spinach and pound until smooth. Add the parmesan, olive oil and salt to taste. Mix until well combined.
- Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until just al dente. Reserve at least a cupful of the pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta and transfer to a large bowl.
- To the warm pasta, add 2-3 large spoonfuls of the pesto and mix. Add more pesto if desired (any extra will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days). Add about a ¼ cup of the pasta cooking water and mix again. Grate over some parmesan and drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil. Mix again until thick and glossy (add more pasta cooking water if the result is too thick for your liking). Transfer to serving plates and grate over more parmesan and drizzle with a little extra olive oil.
