Sometimes, you only want a bowl of pasta but it can still have the nutritional value of a complete. Here the vegetables are not a token gesture but hold their own on the plate and offer texture, different flavours and colour.
I always have wild garlic pesto in the freezer. It is great on pasta but also as a crust for fish or lamb.
Ingredients (for 2)
- 150g pasta
- 150g kale
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 red pepper, cored and chopped in small cubes
- 4-5 mushrooms, approx. 100g, wiped clean and sliced
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and extra for drizzling
- Leaves of a sprig of thyme
- 3-4 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
- A pinch of chilli flakes
- 100ml vegetable stock
For the wild garlic pesto (makes enough for 6-8 servings)
- 150g wild garlic leaves
- 50g pine nuts
- 50g parmesan cheese, grated
- 150ml extra virgin olive oil
- Zest of ½ lemon
- A squeeze of lemon juice
Method
Start by making the garlic pesto. Wash the garlic leaves and put everything but the oil in a blender and blitz. Add gradually the olive oil till you have the desired consistency. Taste and season.
For the pasta, bring a pot of hot water to the boil and blanche the curly Kale for a couple of minutes. Rinse under cold water to preserve its colour.
In a sauté pan, sweat the shallot for a couple of minutes and add the garlic, red pepper and mushrooms. Cook stirring continuously at a high temperature for 3-4 minutes. Add the kale, and cook for another couple of minutes. Add the vegetable stock, lower the heat and cook for 2-3 more minutes till the vegetables are soft. Turn off the heat.
In a pan bring plenty of water with a generous pinch of salt to the boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the instructions or till it is cooked but still al dente. Strain the pasta and add to the pan with containing the vegetables and stir well to mix thoroughly.
Serve with dots of the wild garlic pesto, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a good sprinkling of parmesan cheese and a few chilli flakes.