SPAGHETTI TOSSED WITH BASIL PESTO

Good Evening to you,

I was just wondering, have I ever mentioned that George and I are keen walkers.... I don't think it is something I have spoken to you about before.

George is the more serious walker of the two of us, as a few years ago now, he loved nothing better, than rambling around Dartmoor, with a pack on his back and a compass in his hand.  Once he started rummaging around in the garage, I knew that the itch was there.  He would gather his walking gear and climbing gear, throw it all in the back of his 4x4 and off he would go for three or four days.

Now, I love walking, but I am in no way as serious about walking as George, as George is a hardcore rambler with a spot of rock climbing thrown in for good measure. So it was with some surprise, that George said, he felt it was time that we explore Northumberland together, no, not by car, but on foot. mmm, I am just wondering if my gentle strolling and stopping to look at the flowers will sit well with George's "boots on and off we go" attitude.... I'll let you know how we get on with that scenario.

So today we decided to go in to  town to buy the equipment we will need..... we bought new walking boots, socks and a rucksack.

We spent two hours, yes two hours in Cotswold's.  Now George is the type of man that goes into town for what he wants and then comes out of town.  There is no shilly shallying about, but today his eyes lit up when he saw what Cotswold's stocked in their shop.  The assistant who helped us was marvellous and chatted to George about rock climbing and walking and fitted us both with a new pair of walking boots.  This is when I discovered that my little feet were larger than I thought... my female pride was slightly bruised... but never mind, I need to be comfortable. I tried on the boots and walked around the shop, over a ramp and down a ramp, one side of which, was like a cobbled street.... I was very happy with my boots. Then it was George's turn, the more experienced of the two of us, he stamped his heel on the floor to make sure there was room for his toes, he walked purposefully around the shop and even used the stairs.  He came to the ramp and he stamped his feet on the cobbles, wobbled his feet about a bit...... well that is what it looked like to me and came down the ramp quite slowly.....then repeated the process.... all this to make sure his boots fit well. Afterwards, I wondered if maybe I should have been stomping and stamping about a little more..... you know, just to look like I knew what I was doing.  Oh well it's too late now.  

We also bought a small rucksack to hold sandwiches and a flask and other important odds and ends, which George says I don't need to worry about, as he will organise the rucksack.  So we took the rucksack, boots, and socks to the counter, to be greeted with the news that we  qualified for a 10% discount.....which was good news. George asked, with a smile on his face, if the discount was enough to buy a canoe.... the assistant smiled back and said he did not think there was enough discount for a canoe, so with that, George disappeared in search of yet more socks. Consequently I spent two hours in a shop with my husband..... which, honestly, is unheard of.

As we were out and about, we arrived home late, so I needed to make supper very quickly and this is what I decided to make,

Spaghetti, tossed with Basil Pesto and a drizzle of olive oil.  I had the Pesto already prepared in the fridge, so all I had to do, was cook the spaghetti and voila..... supper was ready.

So it is on with the pinnie and whilst George is stomping, no walking around the house in his new walking boots, I am listening to,

the very beautiful voice of Laura Mvula.   Listen to "Green Garden", " Father, Father" and "I Don't Know What the Weather Will Be".  I am listening to Green Garden whilst I gather my ingredients.... that's a bit of a cheek to say ingredients as really I am gathering water, salt and spaghetti.

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE PESTO

2 large handfuls of basil leaves

(stems included)

1-2 garlic cloves

50g of pine nuts

50g Parmesan Cheese

100ml of olive oil

1 teaspoonful of sea salt

Juice of half a lemon

ALSO

a quarter of a packet of dried spaghetti

1 teaspoonful of sea salt

HOW TO MAKE 

SPAGHETTI TOSSED WITH BASIL PESTO

Cook the spaghetti in a large pan

of salted, boiling water

until al dente

Whilst the spaghetti is cooking,

Brown the Pine Nuts in a dry pan until brown.

Keep an eye on the Pine Nuts, because they

will turn from brown to black very quickly.

Remember to keep tossing the Pine Nuts.

Set aside for the moment.

Using a teaspoonful of sea salt,

crush the garlic

and set aside

Grate the Parmesan Cheese

and

place the Basil,

the

toasted Pine Nuts

into a food processor

and pulse until finely chopped.

add the olive oil, the garlic

and the Parmesan Cheese to the mixture

and

pulse once or twice.

add the juice of half a lemon

and rind if you like a more 

lemony flavour

and

pulse a couple of times.

check for seasoning,

I find there is plenty of salt from the

salt used to crush the garlic.

Drain the spaghetti

and pop back into the pan

with a couple of tablespoonfuls of

cooking liquid.

Pour over the Pesto

and 

toss together

Place the Spaghetti tossed with Basil Pesto in a dish
and

drizzle with a little more olive oil

and grate a little more Parmesan Cheese

over the spaghetti

then shred three of four Basil leaves

and 

Voila!

You have a very quick supper.

As I mentioned earlier, I did have some Pesto in the fridge, so our supper was created very quickly. The photographs I have used I had taken on another occasion, when I had made Pesto, just in case I needed them in the future..... which of course I did today.

I find it useful to have a jar of Pesto on hand, as it can be added to so many different meals..... and like today, create a lovely supper in 10-12 minutes.

I had better be going now, as it is time for me to get used to walking around in my clod hoppers oops I meant walking boots.

Take care and I will see you on Sunday.

This week I will be joining,

Miz Helen's Country Cottage for Full Plate Thursday

and

Lynn from Turnips2Tangerines for 4 Seasons Blog Hop