‘We’ve been listening to the male perspective for so long, it would be nice if they listened to ours’
‘We’ve been listening to the male perspective for so long, it would be nice if...

Sarah Finnan

Taylor Swift is a sport
Taylor Swift is a sport

Lauren Heskin

This ivy-adorned red brick on Ailesbury Road is on the market for €12 million
This ivy-adorned red brick on Ailesbury Road is on the market for €12 million

Sarah Finnan

Irish artist Bebhinn Eilish on mythology, mysticism, and unpicking misogyny through art
Irish artist Bebhinn Eilish on mythology, mysticism, and unpicking misogyny through art

Sarah Gill

Supper Club: Little Green Spoon’s halloumi, avocado and lime salad
Supper Club: Little Green Spoon’s halloumi, avocado and lime salad

IMAGE

Join us for our event ‘Keep Doing What Matters – Culinary Delights’
Join us for our event ‘Keep Doing What Matters – Culinary Delights’

IMAGE

Exclusive short story from Rebecca Ivory’s new book, ‘Free Therapy’
Exclusive short story from Rebecca Ivory’s new book, ‘Free Therapy’

IMAGE

Scandi-cool meets Irish country in this period Cork apartment
Scandi-cool meets Irish country in this period Cork apartment

Orla Neligan

Interior designer Sorcha Harman shares her tips for sourcing and styling vintage pieces
Interior designer Sorcha Harman shares her tips for sourcing and styling vintage pieces

Megan Burns

My Career: Festival director Anna Lardi
My Career: Festival director Anna Lardi

Sarah Finnan

Image / Living / Food & Drink

Supper Club: Donna Hay’s family-friendly, extra healthy pesto pasta


By Meg Walker
17th Nov 2023
Supper Club: Donna Hay’s family-friendly, extra healthy pesto pasta

Full of fresh greens and lots of flavour, this pasta dish will please the whole family.

Pasta and pesto is our go-to for after work dinner panic – it’s fast and tasty but for an even healthier version why not try this cheesy pesto with a twist. Full of fresh greens and lots of flavour, this pasta dish will please the whole family.

Donna Hay’s family-friendly extra healthy pesto pasta
Serves 4-6

Ingredients

  • 2 small heads broccoli (500g), roughly chopped
  • 80ml extra virgin olive oil
  • 375g orecchiette (or your favourite pasta)
  • 45g slivered almonds or pine nuts
  • 40g basil leaves (the star of pesto)
  • 25g mint leaves (a fresh twist)
  • 25g flat-leaf parsley leaves
  • 2 tsp finely grated lemon rind
  • 60ml lemon juice
  • 80g finely grated Parmesan
  • sea salt and cracked black pepper, to taste


Method

  1. Place the broccoli in a food processor and pulse until it resembles grains of rice (try 5 bursts of 3 seconds each).
  2. Place half the oil in a large deep-sided non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the broccoli and cook, stirring with a spatula, for 3-4 minutes or until it’s almost soft but still bright green. Remove from the heat.
  3. Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of salted boiling water, stirring once with a spatula, for 8-10 minutes or until just soft.
  4. Place the almonds, basil, mint, parsley, lemon rind and juice, the Parmesan and the remaining oil in the food processor and process into a rough paste. Pour it into the pan with the broccoli, scraping the sides with a spatula.
  5. Carefully reserve 125ml of the pasta’s cooking liquid. Place a colander in the sink and, wearing oven gloves, pour in the pasta to drain. Place the hot pasta and the reserved liquid into the pan with the pesto. Place over low heat, add some salt and pepper and stir until heated through and combined.
  6. Divide the pasta between serving bowls and top with some extra Parmesan to serve, if you like.

 

Extracted from Basics to Brilliance Kids by Donna Hay (Harper 360).