ICYMI: We launched The Main Ingredient last week – our brand new interview series where we’ll get up close and personal with some special people to hear all about their experiences with and memories of food.
Our first guest was none other than Al Thursfield, our Founder/heart and soul of Daily Food. Her story is extremely personal and she opens up about the real reasons she is so passionate about healing people’s relationships with food. You can read her words here.
For each guest we speak with, we’ll ask them to share a recipe that feels nostalgic, sparks joy or reminds them of a special memory. So, for Al? It had to be a pasta recipe.
Without further ado, here's Al's favourite pesto pasta recipe!
You’ll need:
- 250g of your favourite pasta (mine is orecchiette or rigatoni!)
- 1 bunch of cavolo nero, stalks trimmed off and then roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, skinned
- 50ml olive oil (or a few big glugs)
- Big handful finely grated parmingano
- 25g salted butter (a little more if you’re heavy handed like me)
- Plenty of freshly cracked pepper and sea salt flakes
- *you could also add in a handful of toasted pinenuts or skinned hazelnuts for extra creaminess
Method
- Pop a pot of salted water on to boil. Once bubbling, blanch the cavolo nero and garlic for 3 mins or until softened.
- Take out with a sieve and refresh in cold water and drain. Then cook the pasta until aldente in the same pot.
- In a NutriBullet or high power blender (food processor won’t cut it here), add the cavolo nero, a little more salt and pepper, the cheese and the oil. Blend until smooth.
- Once the pasta is ready, reserve a cup of the water and then drain. In the same pot, mix the pasta, green sauce and enough of the pasta water to loosen the sauce.
- Stir vigorously over a low heat, adding the butter, extra seasoning and oil if needed and a little more cheese.
Yum! Enjoy x
