Day 3- Fettucine with Pesto Sauce
This is a vegetarian dish to convince the staunchest meat lovers to re-consider their decision every once in a while. You can make pesto while the fettucine cooks, and earn brownie points for a time-saving meal as you toss it through and enjoy the zinginess of basil on your taste buds.
Basil is at its late summer best right now so eat it while you can. Another two weeks or so and it will no longer be in season. It’s always hard for me to wait for over six months until the summer crops starts again. While it is possible to buy basil all year round, the price goes up and the food miles increase.
Pesto means, ‘to press’ and if you use a mortar and pestle, you’ll understand why this is so well-named. My son bought me a gigantic volcanic stone mortar and pestle some years ago and it gets a constant workout. The weight of the stone is what makes it so easy to use – it’s not a difficult thing to manage, and you don’t need Amazonian strength in your arms.
If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, a food processor or blender works well, however basil bruises – and discolours – more easily when chopped. Use the blended pesto immediately to maintain the fresh green colouring.
Traditionally pesto calls for pine nuts, but a long time ago I started using roasted unsalted cashews instead. They maintain a textural crunch and at $7 for 750g, are cheaper than pine nuts.
Serves 4 – 6
INGREDIENTS
1 bunch ( about 2 cups loosely packed) basil leaves; 3/4 cup olive oil; 2 cloves garlic; 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese; 1/2 cup raw cashews; good pinch sea salt; 250g packet dry fettucine or linguine
METHOD
Fill a stock pot with water and bring to the boil. Place fettucine in boiling water and cook according to maker’s instructions, about 8-10 minutes.
In a mortar and pestle, place peeled garlic, cashews, a pinch of salt and about 1/4 cup olive oil. Use the weight of the pestle to grind the ingredients against the stone bowl. Drop and grind, drop and grind.
Once the nuts and garlic are crushed and blended, add the basil leaves, about 1/2 a cup at a time. I move the pestle in a circular fashion, crushing the leaves against the sides of the bowl and using the rough edges of the nuts to complete the crushing. The leaves will crush down to a green paste within a minute or so. Continue adding leaves and grinding them to a paste. If the paste becomes a little thick, add more olive oil. You are aiming for a green sauce rather than a green paste.
When all leaves have been incorporated, add the cheese and another 3 to 4 tablespoons of oil. You may not use all the olive oil, it is very much up to your own taste. Check for taste – the garlic should be quite strong and sharp, however it will soften and get milder as it is folded into the hot pasta.
Drain the fettucine, leaving a scant half cup of hot water in the bottom of the hot pasta pot. Add the pesto to the hot pasta and stir well to combine. The pasta should turn a light green colour. Add more oil if the pasta or sauce becomes too sticky.
Serve in large bowls with more grated parmesan on top.
COST
$5.50 for four people plus leftovers for lunch
FREEZING
Unsuitable to freeze as the basil will discolour. Can be stored in fridge for a few days for leftovers.
If cashews are too expensive, i often use toasted pine nuts. Lay them on a baking tray and lightly brown in oven or in a dry fry pan, preferably nonstick roll them round on a heat until they start to colour. Dont let them get too dark or they become bitter, and it doesnt take long
I always use macadamia nuts, which are also usually cheaper than pine nuts, and give a fantastic flavour and texture. I also often use macadamia oil in place of olive oil. We are lucky enough to live in the growing area and I can sometimes get it for much the same price as extra virgin olive oil.
I too use cashews, due to the expense. I like to vary it by using chilli oil, or sometimes only using a tiny bit of oil to make a paste – which works beautifully as a spread (on fresh toasted turkish bread!) or mixed into pizza sauce! Making my own also means I don’t use cheese which makes me sick, or if I’m feeling rebellious, just a little cheese.
I’ve found although when freezing the basil will lose colour, it tastes quite good still, might need a touch more, or some oil (I used to bulk cook as it was a lot cheaper, and convenient). I also chuck in some raw veges when reheating which steam just nicely.
Made this for a family lunch, plus uncle and netball friend (after Netball grandfinal). Made the Pesto with cashews and let infuse in a container for a few hours. Sandra, thanks for the trick of putting the cheese in before serving — it makes for a creamy coating of the pasta. This will be made again when the basil grows in the garden.
You forgot the most important part of the comment – did you win the Grand Final?
Runners up, to match Panthers, Swans and the Wallabies.