Quick and easy dinner: Michelle's pea pasta with mint pesto

Pea Pasta with Mint Pesto: a handy yet elegant dinner dish

The latest in our series of quick dinners from the recipe archives comes from Michelle Darmody, and is a handy way to get through some fridge and garden staples that might otherwise be overlooked.

Boil up some pasta and break out the mixer for a deceptively simple dish!

 

• pasta for four 
• 6 tbs of olive oil 
• 4 shallots, sliced 
• 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped 
• 200g of peas 
• 50g of pine nuts, toasted 
• 50g of parmesan, finely grated 
• a good handful of mint, finely chopped 
• 1 small courgette, sliced into thin strips with a vegetable peeler 
• 2 spring onions, sliced 

 

Put the pasta on to boil and drain when cooked.

Heat a small dash of the oil and sauté the shallots until they have turned translucent, add half of the garlic and fry for another minute. Set aside.

Warm the peas in some boiling water and drain.

Place most of the peas, the two remaining cloves of garlic, the pine nuts, parmesan and remaining oil in a blender and blitz to a rough paste.

Toss the shallots, courgette strips and peas through the pasta. Gently coat everything in the pesto and taste and season. Sprinkle with the spring onions and serve.