Pistachio, mint and basil pesto pasta that tastes like Sicily

“This Sicilian gem of a pesto is widely used across southern Italy,” says Tim Siadatan. “It’s as delicious spooned over fish or meat, grilled or boiled vegetables, used as salad dressing or simply to dip bread into, as it is with this pasta, so I always make more than I need.”

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

450g fresh stracci (also works with: fresh tagliarini, fettuccine; dried linguine, spaghetti, bucatini, penne, fusilli)

Finely grated zest and juice of ½ lemon

Sea salt

Pistachio, mint and basil pesto

300g shelled dark green pistachio nuts (Sicilian or Persian ones are best)

30g mint leaves, finely chopped

30g basil leaves, finely chopped

200ml extra virgin olive oil

80g Parmesan, finely grated

Method:

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1. For the pasta, in a large cooking pot, bring 4-5 litres of water to the boil and add a fistful of salt.

2. Meanwhile, to make the pesto, using a pestle and mortar, pound the pistachio nuts to a crumb texture, then add the chopped herbs, extra virgin olive oil and grated Parmesan and stir to combine. If the mortar isn’t big enough, transfer the pistachio crumbs to a bowl and stir through the other ingredients, seasoning with salt to taste. (Alternatively, pulse the pistachios in a blender to crumbs, then add the remaining ingredients and whiz for a few seconds to combine.)

3. Put roughly 300g of pesto into a pan large enough to hold the cooked pasta as well and add half a mug (about 120ml) of the seasoned pasta water, along with the lemon zest and juice, to loosen it. Drop the stracci into the boiling water and cook for about 1-1½ minutes. Drain the pasta as soon as it’s ready, keeping two mugs of pasta water.

4. Transfer the pasta to the pesto and stir over a medium heat with a spatula or wooden spoon for 30 seconds or so, adding splashes of the reserved pasta water to help the pasta and sauce come together. You are looking to achieve that nice creamy consistency, not too wet and not too dry. Taste and adjust the seasoning if required. Serve the pasta on hot plates and eat immediately.

Recipe from ‘Padella’ by Tim Siadatan (Bloomsbury Publishing, £25)