Spaghetti with Pesto

Ingredients

9oz spaghetti
2 cups fresh basil leaves
2 tbsps pine nuts
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves peeled garlic
Salt and pepper
3 tbsps parmesan cheese
Fresh basil to garnish

Method

Wash the basil. Remove the leaves and throw away the stems. Then heat 1 tbsp of oil over a low heat.

Add garlic and pine nuts, then cook until the pine nuts are a light golden color... then drain.

Finely chop the basil leaves, pine nuts and garlic in a blender. When it is nice and smooth, add the remaining oil in a thin stream, blending it continuously. Turn the mixture into a bowl, then mix in the cheese and add salt and pepper to taste.

Cook the spaghetti in a large pan of boiling salted water for 10 minutes or until just tender (al dante). Drain and serve with basil sauce tossed through. Garnish with fresh basil before serving.

Memories of mama

This dish was a good, fresh alternative to tomato-based pasta sauce. Mama would make her pesto up beforehand, often having handy jars of it in the refrigerator as it had a long life if kept properly sealed.

Mama liked to serve this simple but zesty meal to my sister and me when we were feeling a bit poorly as it was a good pick-me-up and a reliable restorer of our appetites. It is also a respectable Italian dish to serve at any family gathering.