Fresh Fettuccine with Pesto

A wonderful medley of flavours and textures, with such a simple preparation. Classic pesto may work your muscles, but now with the whizz of a blender, it can be whipped up in a matter of minutes. Pesto is best served fresh with either pasta, as a dip or topped over bread. It balances the peppery flavour of basil with the wonderful sweetness of nuts, has the sharp bite of aged cheese. In this recipe, I've used walnuts in place of pine nuts, and grana padano, and served it up with fresh fettuccine, the recipe of which can be found here. I made this fettuccine with just fine plain white flour, and without semolina, as I wanted a softer texture.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp chopped walnuts/pine-nuts
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 bunch (60g) fresh basil, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 3 tbsp grated grana padano

Method

1. Pound the garlic and walnuts/pine-nuts, with the salt and pepper, in a pestle, to a smooth paste.
2. Add the chopped basil and water to a food processor/blender, and blitz to a thick paste.
3. Add the garlic-nut paste and run again, to mix it evenly through the paste.
4. Add the oil and turn into an emulsion. If the paste is too thick, add a little water to get the desired thickness.
5. Remove the mixture from the food processor and into a large mixing bowl. Add the cheese and stir it into the paste. Avoid using the a food  processor or blender for this bit, as the grated cheese would lose its distinctive sharpness and texture.
6. Check the salt, and serve with pasta, on top of pizzas or as a dip.
7. If using with pasta, fry the pesto lightly in oil and add the pasta water to thin it out, before mixing with the pasta.