Name: Annabel Karmel’s spaghetti with pesto recipe
Prep time: 8 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 16 min
Yield: Serves: 4
Ingredients: 225g (8oz) spaghetti; pesto sauce; 50g (2oz) pine nuts; 50g (2oz) Parmesan cheese, grated, plus extra for serving; 1–2 garlic cloves; small bunch of parsley leaves; small bunch of basil leaves and stalks; a pinch of sugar (for over 1-year-olds); 100ml (3 1/2 fl oz) olive oil; 1tbsp water; salt and freshly ground black pepper

By Annabel Karmel

published 20 September 2019

in Recipes

Kids will really enjoy this tasty spaghetti dish, which uses basil and parsley mixed with Parmesan for a great flavour. It's super quick too!

Ingredients

225g (8oz) spaghetti
pesto sauce
50g (2oz) pine nuts
50g (2oz) Parmesan cheese, grated, plus extra for serving
1–2 garlic cloves
small bunch of parsley leaves
small bunch of basil leaves and stalks
a pinch of sugar (for over 1-year-olds)
100ml (3 1/2 fl oz) olive oil
1tbsp water
salt and freshly ground black pepper

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Method

Toast the pine nuts in a frying pan until lightly golden. Remove from the pan and leave to cool.
Cook the spaghetti in a large pan of lightly salted boiling water according to the instructions on the packet.
Meanwhile, tip the Parmesan, garlic, parsley, basil, sugar and cooled pine nuts into a food processor and whiz until finely chopped. Slowly add the olive oil while the motor is running. Add the water and season. Spoon into a small bowl.
Drain the cooked pasta and put it back into the saucepan. Add 4–5 tablespoons of pesto and toss together.
Sprinkle with extra Parmesan before serving.

Top Tip for making Annabel Karmel’s spaghetti with pesto

Adding parsley to the mixture helps to give a good green colour. You could add a few chopped SunBlush tomatoes to the spaghetti, too, or sprinkle with some pine nuts. You can freeze any leftover pesto sauce for up to 2 months.

Annabel Karmel MBE is a chef and author of over 40 cookbooks based on nutrition, and cooking for babies, children and families. With her career spanning over 25 years she has pioneered the way families feed their babies and children all the world over.