Annabel Karmel’s spaghetti with pesto recipe

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Kids will really enjoy this tasty spaghetti dish, which uses basil and parsley mixed with Parmesan for a great flavour. It's super quick too!

Serves4
SkillEasy
Preparation Time8 mins
Cooking Time8 mins
Total Time16 mins
Cost RangeCheap

Kids will really enjoy this tasty spaghetti dish, which uses basil and parsley mixed with Parmesan for a great flavour. It's super quick too!

Ingredients

  • 225g (8oz) spaghetti
  • pesto sauce
  • 50g (2oz) pine nuts
  • 50g (2oz) Parmesan cheese, grated, plus extra for serving
  • 1–2 garlic cloves
  • small bunch of parsley leaves
  • small bunch of basil leaves and stalks
  • a pinch of sugar (for over 1-year-olds)
  • 100ml (3 1/2 fl oz) olive oil
  • 1tbsp water
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper

WEIGHT CONVERTER

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Method

  1. Toast the pine nuts in a frying pan until lightly golden. Remove from the pan and leave to cool.
  2. Cook the spaghetti in a large pan of lightly salted boiling water according to the instructions on the packet.
  3. Meanwhile, tip the Parmesan, garlic, parsley, basil, sugar and cooled pine nuts into a food processor and whiz until finely chopped. Slowly add the olive oil while the motor is running. Add the water and season. Spoon into a small bowl.
  4. Drain the cooked pasta and put it back into the saucepan. Add 4–5 tablespoons of pesto and toss together.
  5. Sprinkle with extra Parmesan before serving.
Top Tip for making Annabel Karmel’s spaghetti with pesto

Adding parsley to the mixture helps to give a good green colour. You could add a few chopped SunBlush tomatoes to the spaghetti, too, or sprinkle with some pine nuts. You can freeze any leftover pesto sauce for up to 2 months.

Annabel Karmel
Contributor

Annabel Karmel MBE is a chef and author of over 40 cookbooks based on nutrition, and cooking for babies, children and families. With her career spanning over 25 years she has pioneered the way families feed their babies and children all the world over.