Ginger nut biscuit – Recipe
October 10, 2020
Watercress and hazelnut pesto with home made pasta – Recipe
This delightful recipe is a direct result of my exceptionally excellent food box this week, from the local company Food Float. Amongst many wonderful items were two big bunches of watercress. Now I love watercress, I love its vibrancy, pepperiness and it is a really good source of vitamin A so very healthy. I knew if I did not use it up it, it would wilt in the back of the fridge and really it should be eaten as fresh as possible. Also on my to-do list was to make some fresh pasta for a workshop in a couple of weeks so I was delighted to dig out a fantastic recipe by food writer Florence Knight. What I love about this recipe is the texture and taste of the toasted hazelnuts, they really bring something special to the plate. Hazelnut skin is quite bitter and needs to be removed – if you can buy them peeled- fantastic, if not boil them for 4 mins in water with some baking powder, plunge them straight into cold water and the skins should come off with ease.
makes 1 small container
- Hazelnuts 75g, blanched, toasted and cooled
- Parmesan 50g
- Salt ½ tsp
- Watercress 90g, thick stalks removed
- Garlic ¼ small clove
- Olive oil 190ml
- Black pepper
- Nutmeg
- Put the cooled hazelnuts, parmesan and salt into a food processor and pulse a few times to a coarse crumb.
- Add the watercress and garlic, and pulse again a further few times.
- Scrape down the sides of the machine and gradually pour over the oil until you have your desired texture.
- Grind over a little fresh black pepper and nutmeg, and adjust the seasoning to taste. Spoon the pesto into a container, cover the surface with a little oil and refrigerate until needed.
