Pasta Pesto Recipe with Avocado

by Alan Buckett
(Henley, UK)

This tangy pasta pesto recipe serves 4 and tastes super fresh.

Ingredients
400g/14oz dried linguine pasta
2 hass avocados (ripe)
1-2 cloves of garlic
Juice of 1/2 lemon
20g/0.7oz fresh flat-leaf parsley
80g/3oz fresh basil leaves
1 red chilli (deseeded and roughly chopped)
2 tbsp olive oil
50g/1.6oz freshly grated Castelli (Italian hard cheese)/parmesan
25g/0.8oz pine nuts

Equipment
Cheese grater
Small food blender/processor
Sieve/colander

First, grate the cheese and lightly toast the pine nuts in a frying pan (no oil) until browned.

Then de-leaf the herbs and rinse these leaves in warm water.

Next, cook the long pasta according to its packet's instructions (not forgetting a hefty pinch of salt).

While the pasta cooks, make the pesto: cut the avocados in half lengthways and discard the stones, then cut each half into 4 wedges and peel off the skin.

Place the avocado, garlic, lemon juice, herbs, chilli, olive oil, half the cheese, half the nuts and one tablespoon of the pasta water in the food processor. Blend until smooth.

When the pasta is done, drain it, stir in the pesto and divide between your pasta serving bowls.

Serve immediately, sprinkled with the remaining cheese, pine nuts and freshly ground black pepper.

Related links:

• Click to explore more pesto sauce recipes

• Learn about the health benefits of avocado at Juicing For Health's excellent avocado page

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