RECIPE BY:

Matt Sinclair

SERVING SIZE:

2 – 4 people

INGREDIENTS :

• 1 large bunch basil, picked (approximately 2 cups)
• 1 packed cup baby spinach leaves
• 200gm pasta Casarecce
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled, roughly chopped
• ½ cup shredded parmesan, plus extra
• 50ml fresh lemon juice
• 1/3 cup Cobram Estate Classic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper
• 1/3 cup pine nuts
• 1 bunch asparagus, ends removed, diced into 2cm pieces
• 1 ½ cups rocket leaves

METHOD:

• In a food processor add the basil, baby spinach, garlic, 1/3 cup of parmesan, lemon juice, ¼ cup olive oil and a generous pinch of salt and pepper; blitz together until well combined. Adjust seasoning to your desired taste. Set aside until required.
• Place a small frypan over a medium heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Add pinenuts and toss to coat. Toast pinenuts until golden brown, tossing often to ensure even coverage of colour. Transfer to pesto mixture along with remaining parmesan cheese and mix through.
• Heat a pot of salted boiling water and cook pasta as per instructions. Strain and set aside.
• Meanwhile, place remaining olive oil in a frypan over a medium heat and gently fry off asparagus until the colour intensifies and it softens slightly, approximately 2-3 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add pasta and pesto sauce and toss to combine. Remove from heat, add rocket and fold through. The residual heat will wilt the rocket. Season with salt and pepper if required. Divide into serving bowls and garnish with extra parmesan and a squeeze of fresh lemon.