Spaghetti with pea, almond & mint pesto
Upgrade your pesto pasta with this zesty twist. Peas make a delicious pesto with fresh mint, almond and lemon.
- Preparation time: 10 minutes
- Cooking time: 15 minutes
- Total time: 25 minutes
Serves 2
Ingredients
- 200g Garden Peas
- 180g spaghetti
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove of Garlic
- 2 tbsp toasted flaked almonds
- 1.5 tbsp finely grated parmigiano reggiano
- Large pinch dried chilli flakes (optional)
- half a lemon, zest, rest cut into wedges
- 10 mint leaves, shredded
Method
1. Cook the peas in a pan of boiling water for 3 minutes then drain and set aside. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a separate large pan of boiling water.
2. Return the pea pan to a medium heat with the oil and fry the garlic for 2 minutes until fragrant, then stir in the peas, coating them in the oil; remove from the heat. Tip ²/ ³ of the peas into a small food processor with the almonds, cheese, chilli (if using) and lemon zest. Season and pulse to a rough paste, then return to the pan with the whole peas.
3. Scoop a cupful of cooking water from the spaghetti then drain and return to the pan. Stir the pea mixture into the pasta along with a splash of the cooking water and toss together, adding more water as needed to make a loose pesto that coats the spaghetti. Stir through the mint and serve with lemon wedges and extra parmigiano reggiano, if liked. Cook’s tip This pea pesto is also great served on toast, topped with strips of Parma ham or a poached egg.