This easy and delicious Rocket and Pistachio Pesto Pasta from Jamie Oliver is a quick, creamy, and flavorful dish perfect for any weeknight. With fresh asparagus, wild rocket, and pistachios, it’s a nutritious and vibrant meal that can be easily adapted with whatever nuts or herbs you have on hand.
Ingredients Needed
- 80g (2.8 oz) wild rocket
- ½ a clove of garlic
- 50g (1.8 oz) shelled unsalted pistachios
- Olive oil
- 25g (0.9 oz) Parmesan cheese, plus extra to serve
- 1 lemon
- 320g (11.3 oz) asparagus
- 300g (10.6 oz) dried linguine
How To Make Rocket And Pistachio Pesto Pasta
- Prepare the pesto base: Pick 70g (2.5 oz) of wild rocket into a pestle and mortar, then bash to a paste with a pinch of sea salt. Peel and bash in ½ a clove of garlic, then pound in 50g (1.8 oz) of pistachios until fine. Muddle in 4 tablespoons olive oil, finely grate in 25g (0.9 oz) Parmesan, and squeeze in the juice of 1 lemon. Season with salt and black pepper, then taste and tweak the pesto to your liking.
- Cook the pasta: Cook 300g (10.6 oz) dried linguine in a pan of boiling water according to the packet instructions. Drain, reserving a mugful of starchy cooking water.
- Prepare the asparagus: Snap off the woody ends from 320g (11.3 oz) of asparagus. Use a speed-peeler to peel the lengths of the asparagus into thin strips.
- Combine pasta and pesto: Toss the cooked pasta with the pesto, then add the peeled asparagus into the pan, loosening with a splash of reserved cooking water, if needed.
- Finish the dish: Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, top with the remaining 10g (0.35 oz) rocket, and finish with a fine grating of Parmesan. Serve with a crunchy salad for a delicious meal.
Recipe Tips
- Use fresh rocket: For the best flavor, use fresh wild rocket rather than pre-packed varieties. This will give your pesto a vibrant, peppery taste.
- Grate the Parmesan finely: Grating the Parmesan finely will help it melt better into the pesto, making the sauce smoother and more evenly coated on the pasta.
- Reserve pasta water: Always save a mug of pasta cooking water before draining. It helps loosen the pesto and makes it cling to the pasta more effectively.
- Add the asparagus last: Peel the asparagus into thin ribbons and toss them into the pasta just before serving to keep them fresh and crunchy.
How To Store Leftovers?
Let any leftover Rocket and Pistachio Pesto Pasta cool to room temperature. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 serving (1/4 of the recipe)
- Calories: 524
- Total Fat: 26.3g
- Saturated Fat: 4.7g
- Total Carbohydrate: 60.9g
- Dietary Fiber: 2.8g
- Sugars: 3.9g
- Protein: 15.8g
Try More Jamie Oliver Recipes:
- Jamie Oliver Spicy Tomato Pasta
- Jamie Oliver Spicy Sausage Pasta
- Jamie Oliver Tuna Sweetcorn Pasta
- Jamie Oliver Billy’s Bolognese Pasta
Jamie Oliver Rocket And Pistachio Pesto Pasta
Description
This easy and delicious Rocket and Pistachio Pesto Pasta from Jamie Oliver is a quick, creamy, and flavorful dish perfect for any weeknight. With fresh asparagus, wild rocket, and pistachios, it’s a nutritious and vibrant meal that can be easily adapted with whatever nuts or herbs you have on hand.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Prepare the pesto base: Pick 70g (2.5 oz) of wild rocket into a pestle and mortar, then bash to a paste with a pinch of sea salt. Peel and bash in ½ a clove of garlic, then pound in 50g (1.8 oz) of pistachios until fine. Muddle in 4 tablespoons olive oil, finely grate in 25g (0.9 oz) Parmesan, and squeeze in the juice of 1 lemon. Season with salt and black pepper, then taste and tweak the pesto to your liking.
- Cook the pasta: Cook 300g (10.6 oz) dried linguine in a pan of boiling water according to the packet instructions. Drain, reserving a mugful of starchy cooking water.
- Prepare the asparagus: Snap off the woody ends from 320g (11.3 oz) of asparagus. Use a speed-peeler to peel the lengths of the asparagus into thin strips.
- Combine pasta and pesto: Toss the cooked pasta with the pesto, then add the peeled asparagus into the pan, loosening with a splash of reserved cooking water, if needed.
- Finish the dish: Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, top with the remaining 10g (0.35 oz) rocket, and finish with a fine grating of Parmesan. Serve with a crunchy salad for a delicious meal.
Notes
- Use fresh rocket: For the best flavor, use fresh wild rocket rather than pre-packed varieties. This will give your pesto a vibrant, peppery taste.
- Grate the Parmesan finely: Grating the Parmesan finely will help it melt better into the pesto, making the sauce smoother and more evenly coated on the pasta.
- Reserve pasta water: Always save a mug of pasta cooking water before draining. It helps loosen the pesto and makes it cling to the pasta more effectively.
- Add the asparagus last: Peel the asparagus into thin ribbons and toss them into the pasta just before serving to keep them fresh and crunchy.
Jamie Oliver Rocket And Pistachio Pesto Pasta