Tagliatelle With Wild Garlic & Almond Pesto, Spinach, Datterini Tomatoes And Toasted Almond Crumb
Making pesto is a perfect way to use up wild garlic before it goes out of season at the end of Spring. It also freezes really well so make a big batch with any leaves you can get your hands on to enjoy at a later date. Served here with tagliatelle, spinach, small datterini tomatoes and a toasted almond crumb. So simple and so delicious. If you’re vegan you can omit the parmesan from the pesto.
To serve: 4
Ingredients
Wild garlic pesto:
100g almonds
3 large handfuls wild garlic, washed
1 handful rocket leaves, washed
2 cloves garlic
1 lemon, juice and zest
250ml olive oil
salt
pepper
Other:
350-400g tagliatelle (depending on how hungry you are!)
30 datterini tomatoes (red and yellow if possible), cut into halves
large handful spinach
30g almonds, toasted and roughly pulsed into a crumb (be careful not to make a flour)
Method
1. Preheat your oven to 180C fan. Lay out the almonds for the topping (30g) on a lined baking tray and roast for 10 minutes until golden. Leave to cool then pulse a few times in a blender to to form a crumb-like mixture.
2. To make the pesto, blend almonds in a food processor until coarse, then transfer to a bowl.
3. In a food processor add a third of the ground almonds, a third of the wild garlic leaves and and a third of the rocket. Blend until combined. Repeat this step twice until all the almonds, wild garlic and rocket is thorough mixed.
4. With the motor running (if possible), add the olive oil, lemon juice and zest, crushed garlic, salt & pepper. Mix for a few minutes until a loose pesto consistency has veen reached. Add more olive oil if necessary. Set aside.
5. Cook the tagliatelle according to packet instructions, drain reserving a bit of the pasta liquid.
6. Mix the pasta with the wild garlic pesto and 1-2 tbsp liquid if necessary. Stir through the raw spinach leaves and datterini tomatoes.
7. Serve in bowls topped with the almond crumb.
