Ingredients
- 100 g of polenta
- 1 large bunch of basil, leaves picked
- 1 small garlic clove, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp of pine nuts, lightly toasted
- 6 tbsp of olive oil
- 125 g of pasta flour, plus extra for dusting
- 30 g of parmesan (or a vegetarian alternative if required), plus extra to serve, finely grated
Method
Step 1
To make the pasta dough, mash the cooked polenta in a mixing bowl with the flour, then knead by hand in the bowl until smooth. Alternatively, use a stand mixer with a dough hook. Cover the dough and put it in the fridge while you make the pesto.Step 2
Put the basil in a blender and begin to blitz. Add the garlic and pine nuts, then the oil, bit by bit, until you have a smooth, thick dressing. Stir in the parmesan, season and add more oil if you like.Step 3
When you’re ready to shape the pasta, tip the dough onto a sheet of baking paper dusted with flour. Use a floured rolling pin to roll the dough out until it’s just 2-3mm thick. Cut into strips about 5cm wide, then cut on the diagonal to create diamonds.Step 4
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil, then use a spatula to add the pasta shapes to the water. Give it a gentle stir, then boil fast for 1½-2 mins –the pasta shapes are cooked when they have been floating on the surface of the water for about 30 secs. Drain, reserving a cup of cooking water.Step 5
Put the pasta back into the pan and stir in the pesto, adding a slosh of the cooking water if you need to loosen the mixture a little. Season with black pepper and serve topped with a grating of parmesan.