Summer Greens Linguine with Pistachio Pesto and Parmesan

For today’s meat-free meal it had to be my recipe for this summer vegetable linguine with pistachio pesto. It’s full of plenty of gorgeous, in season greens and is the perfect summery dinner to give you a healthy dose of green goodness. I used spiralised courgettes in place of pasta as I genuinely love the taste and how they soak up all the sauce, but you could of course replace it with normal pasta instead if you prefer. The pistachio pesto is so nutty and full of plenty of fresh herbs, grated parmesan, lemon and garlic. I make this all the time to stir through risottos, top pizzas or just drizzle over some grilled chicken thighs. It is so so good.

(Serves 4 - £1.96 per portion)

1. First make the pistachio pesto. Blitz 100g roughly chopped pistachios in a small blender with the juice and zest of a lemon, one clove of garlic, 40g grated parmesan, a bunch of basil, half a bunch of parsley, a sprinkling of salt, plenty of pepper and enough olive oil to reach a drizzling consistency (roughly 60-75ml). Set aside.
2. Spiralise 6 courgettes (if serving four) and heat a large saute pan. Fry the white part of a bunch of finely sliced spring onions in a little oil with a crushed garlic clove. Add 200g roughly sliced asparagus spears (leaving the tips for later) and a couple of diced courgettes. Fry until golden and caramelised before adding the spiralised courgettes and 300g of frozen peas.
3. Stir well and add a couple of heaped tbsps of the pistachio pesto. Meanwhile, fry the asparagus spears in a separate pan over a high heat in a little oil and some salt and pepper.
4. Stir until the courgettes start to release a little liquid, season generously and spoon in large bowls with plenty of grated parmesan and more chopped pistachios. Top with the panfried asparagus spears and enjoy.