UK
Wild Herb Pesto Pasta
Fresh pasta with homemade pesto using foraged wild garlic and garden herbs.
~20 mintotal
Ingredients
- 1 large handful wild garlic leaves
- 1 handful fresh parsley
- 1 handful fresh basil
- 50g nuts (pine nuts, walnuts, or almonds)
- 50g parmesan
- 80-120ml olive oil
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Juice of ½ lemon
- Salt & black pepper
- 300g pasta
Cooking Steps
Boil pasta in salted water. Reserve ½ cup pasta water before draining
Add wild garlic, herbs, nuts, parmesan, lemon zest to food processor. Pulse
Drizzle in olive oil until desired consistency. Season
Toss hot pasta with pesto. Add splash of pasta water to loosen
Stir in optional toppings. Finish with extra herbs or lemon zest
Optional Enhancements
- Add chilli flakes for heat
- Add spinach for extra volume
- Add rocket for pepperiness
- Add avocado for creamy pesto
- Add anchovy or miso paste for umami depth
Plant & Growing Tips
- Wild Garlic: Forage Feb-April. Harvest responsibly, taking few leaves per plant
- Parsley: Prefers partial shade and moist soil
- Basil: Needs warmth, so plant only after frost or keep indoors
Natural Pest Control
- Wild garlic: naturally repels many pests
- Basil: deters aphids, whitefly, and mosquitos
- Parsley: attracts beneficial hover flies
Harvest
- Wild Garlic: Pick leaves before plant flowers for best flavour
- Parsley: Harvest from outside of plant
- Basil: Take leaves from top to encourage branching
Storing & Freezing
Pesto keeps 1 week refrigerated topped with oil. Freeze in ice-cube trays for 3 months.
