Tagliatelle with green beans and pesto
Homemade pesto takes pasta to new heights in this classic Italian recipe.
Ingredients
- 4 small waxy potatoes, peeled and very thinly sliced
- 100²µ/3½´Ç³ú extra fine green beans
- 250g/9oz fresh tagliatelle
For the pesto
Method
Blanch the potatoes and green beans in boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain under cold running water and set aside.
In a pestle and mortar, crush the garlic with half a teaspoon sea salt until you have a smooth paste. Add the basil leaves and pound until the leaves turn to a pulp. Add the pine nuts and crush until smooth. Add 3 tablespoons of water to emulsify the mixture, then add the Parmesan cheese. Slowly work in the olive oil, until you have a drizzling consistency.
Bring a large pot of boiling salted water to the boil, add cook the pasta with the blanched potatoes and green beans for about 3 minutes – the pasta should still have a bite.
Meanwhile, warm half of the pesto in a frying pan.
Using tongs, lift the pasta, green beans and potatoes from the water and add to the frying pan. Toss with the pesto and add 2–3 tablespoons of the pasta water to loosen the sauce so it coats the pasta strands.
Check the seasoning and divide the pasta between two bowls. Serve with the remaining pesto spooned over the top.