Walnut Pesto Recipe Jamie Oliver Food

SUPER-QUICK BATCH PESTO

Steps:

• Making pesto is such an easy thing to do, you'll wonder why you've never gotten into the habit of doing it from scratch before. The quantities I've given you here mean you can utilize whole packets of Parmesan and nuts, and the method is so simple anyone can do it. This is one of those incredible recipes where minimum effort gives you maximum flavour, every time.
• Break the Parmesan into a food processor (discarding the rind). Rip in the leafy basil, discarding only the tougher base of the stalks.
• Peel and add the garlic, and tip in the pine nuts and almonds.
• Finely grate in the lemon zest, squeeze in all the juice, and pour in the oil. Blitz until fairly fine in consistency.
• The fresh pesto will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days, and it freezes brilliantly. The easiest thing to do is roll the pesto up in greaseproof paper to make a log, then scrunch the ends like a cracker. Pop into the freezer for 2 hours, then, before it gets too hard, remove, unwrap and slice into the appropriate number of portions. Re-shape, re-roll and re-wrap, then pop it back into the freezer - it'll be good for at least 3 months.
• To use from frozen, simply defrost overnight in the fridge, or whack it straight into a pan to melt.

PESTO

Steps:

• Peel the garlic, then pound in a pestle and mortar with a pinch of sea salt.
• Pick, roughly chop and add the basil leaves, then bash to a paste (or pulse in a food processor).
• Add the pine nuts (very lightly toast first, if you like) to the mixture and pound again, then stir in half the Parmesan.
• Drizzle in some oil - you need just enough to bind the sauce and get it to an oozy consistency.
• Add most of the remaining cheese, then season to perfection with salt and black pepper. Have a taste, and keep adding a bit more cheese or oil until you are happy with the taste and consistency.
• Add a squeeze of lemon juice at the end to give it a little twang, if you like, but it's not essential.

BASIL-WALNUT PESTO

Steps:

• Place basil, olive oil, walnuts, garlic and salt (if using) in food processor.
• Blend until thoroughly combined.
• Add Parmesan and butter (if using) and blend 5-10 seconds more.
• Just before serving, add 2 Tbsp of hot pasta water from cooked pasta.
• Serve over pasta with bread and salad.

WALNUT & RED PEPPER PESTO PASTA

Steps:

• Cook the pasta following pack instructions. Meanwhile, toast the walnuts in a dry pan for a few mins. Add half the walnuts to the small bowl of a food processor or a hand chopper, along with the red peppers, Parmesan, garlic, basil, oil and some seasoning. Whizz to a paste, adding a splash of water from the pasta if it is a little dry.
• Drain the pasta, reserving a cup of the cooking water. Return the pasta to the pan and set over a low heat. Add the pesto, mascarpone and 3-4 tbsp of the reserved pasta water, then stir until the mascarpone has melted, adding a splash more pasta water if the sauce needs thinning. To serve, crush the remaining walnuts in your hand and scatter over the pasta with a few more basil leaves and some extra Parmesan.

WALNUT PESTO

Steps:

• Blend basil, walnuts, olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice together in a food processor until pesto has a paste-like consistency.

PASTA WITH CREAMY WALNUT PESTO

Steps:

• Boil the pasta. Meanwhile, put the walnuts and garlic in a food processor and whizz until finely chopped. Add the basil, cheese, butter and oil and pulse a few more times. Season.
• Pour the cream into a pan and warm through. Add two-thirds of the pesto, then gently heat to loosen it. When the pasta is ready, drain, reserving 2 tbsp of the cooking water, then mix both with the sauce. Serve immediately, sprinkled with the extra Parmesan and basil, if using. The leftover pesto will keep in the fridge for up to a week, or frozen for up to a month.