Pesto Pasta!


Traditionally, Pesto Pasta is made with Italian basil, Parmesan cheese and pine nuts!
Since it's a little difficult to get these ingredients at times, this recipe shows you how switching the core ingredients with similar ingredients can still give you an equally delicious dish!
This one uses Spinach, processed cheese and peanuts!
Makes for 2 people!

Ingredients:
A bunch of spinach.
4 cloves of garlic smashed.
A handful of roasted peanuts.
1/4 cup cilantro/ coriander leaves chopped finely.
1 green chilly finely chopped.
1/4 cup olive oil.
1 tablespoon of butter.
Parmesan cheese/ processed cheese/any cheese.
Any short dried pasta (Penne, Macaraoni, fusilli, etc...) 200g

Pasta:
This recipe involves Penne pasta, BUT you could really use any short pasta with gaps in them( if you don't have any, you could also use spaghetti! It really doesn't matter)
Boil the pasta  in water generously seasoned with salt for about 10-11 minutes (or until the pasta is aldente). You could also check the packet for more info! Once aldente is achieved, drain and set aside! (Remember to save a cups worth of the pasta water!)

Spinach pesto sauce:
(If you don't have roasted peanuts, roast a handful over a pan or in the oven just until they're crunchy!)
Add the spinach, cilantro, garlic, roasted peanuts, green chilly, a tablespoon of salt to a mixer grinder and blitz until you're left with a rough paste. Slowly add a couple of teaspoons of olive oil and blitz again.
Continue to add olive oil ONLY until the required paste like consistency is achieved, or your pasta will be too greasy!
Once you have a paste like consistency of pesto, set it aside.

Pesto Pasta:
To a non stick pan/dish add the pasta, the pesto sauce, a tablespoon of dried chilly flakes, 2 teaspoons of Italian herbs (oregano will do), a ladle of the pasta water and gently stir everything together, making sure the pasta doesn't break!
Grate a half cube of processed cheese or any cheese and gently stir together. Just before you serve, add a tablespoon of butter and stir the pasta to give it a little glossiness!

Serve the pasta hot and grate a little cheese over it too!


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