Tagliatelle with French beans and pesto

During the a busy work week I like to keep my meals simple and easy. I just don’t want to spend most of my evening in the kitchen preparing and cooking food. After all, I also deserve to put my feet up and rest from all the hard work.
Nothing is easier and quicker to make than pasta and a pesto sauce, but make it homemade pesto. Don’t waste your money on the shop bought stuff, home made pesto tastes so much better and is much better for your health. You’ll be surprised by how simple it to make. I’m talking throw everything in the food processor and click a button and your done kind of simple. Then throw in a vegetable of your choice ( I am using French beans) and you have yourself a healthy 10min dinner. Jamie Oliver would be proud.

Ingredients

large bunch fresh basil
1 garlic clove, crushed
3 tbsp pine nuts, lightly toasted in a dry frying pan
100–150ml olive oil
80g non dairy parmesan cheese, freshly grated
500g tagliatelle
200g french beans, topped & tailed
salt & pepper

Directions

1. Put the basil, garlic, pine nuts and a pinch of salt in a pestle and mortar and grind to a paste (or process them in a food processor).

2. Transfer to a bowl and stir in enough olive oil to give the consistency you like. Add the Parmesan cheese and adjust the seasoning.

3.Cook the tagliatelle in boiling salted water, adding the French beans for the last 5 minutes of cooking.

4.Drain, return to the pan, season, and toss with pesto. Garnish with some fresh basil leaves and serve.