My farm is seven years old this year and it is desperately in need of some financial investment at this point. It needs a better fencing from my neighbor’s chicken which have been devastating for my vegetable patch; it needs gravel for pathways because my diys don’t seem to hold up the weeds much longer and I end up reworking the same pathways over and over again; it needs trenches to ease the water logging during rains and it needs an irrigation system. I am so done with the perpetual weeding, the short-term fixer-upers for water logging that suffocates my trees and all of which is labour intensive and is costing me more than a one-time investment of good systems in place. As it always is, we try to space out our bigger investment projects to give us time to recover, and now it’s about time. Can’t put it off any longer.
Parmesan Cheese – ½ cup (I used mozzarella cheese)
Walnuts – 1/3 cups (Essentially pine nuts are used, but I used walnuts)
Garlic – 3 cloves
Salt – 1/2 tsp (adjust according to taste)
Pepper – ¼ tsp (Freshly ground)
Homemade Pesto – Author’s own
NOTE: Basil pesto darkens quickly when exposed to air. So, to keep the vibrant green colour intact, make sure you top it with an inch of olive oil while storing to cut contact with air. This is the only challenge, in this otherwise very simple recipe.
QUICK TIP: Basil is a highly aromatic herb and if it seems a bit too much for your palate, you could easily mellow down the flavor by adding in some fresh spinach to the mix.
Toss it over your favourite pasta for a quick dinner or spread it over toasted slices of bread or anything else your heart desires.
Pesto Pasta
Once you have the pesto ready, this recipe is a no brainer. But…but, you will still learn a few cool tricks if you read further. I promise, it’s worth your time. So, if you have ever tried making pesto pasta, you might have noticed that it comes out quite dry. Usually, the first thing we try is adding more olive oil to make it better but that just makes the pasta too oily and that’s no good.
I am going to share a secret trick to make this recipe super juicy and succulent.
Ready!
.
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JUST ADD PASTA-COOKED WATER!
Yes, it’s that simple! This is the secret weapon all Italians and veteran chefs use. And now its yours!
Once the pasta is cooked and you are ready to pour out the excess water, just save a cup of this starchy liquid. Add the pesto to your freshly cooked pasta and drizzle in the saved pasta-cooked water to thin out the sauce giving it a beautifully shiny texture. This also helps in coating the pesto well with pasta, making your pasta super slick and simply delectable!
Follow the steps shown here to achieve a creamy, smooth and luscious Pesto Pasta. Top it with grated Parmesan or any cheese you have around and voila. I used Manchego cheese.
Pic Courtesy – Author’s Own
Until next time, try this herbalicious pesto pasta.
Happy cooking!
Elevate your pasta game with this fresh pesto recipe made from homegrown herbs. You can learn how to grow basil and other herbs in your balcony or backyard with our Free Home Gardening 101 for Beginners. Don’t let food scraps go to waste—turn them into rich compost with our Free Home Composting 101 guide. Add a healthy zing to your pasta with a splash of our Homemade Apple Cider Vinegar, rich in natural probiotics.
