Honestly, I don’t think I’ve come across anyone who doesn’t love pesto. It’s delicious and super versatile; you can put it on bread, toss with pasta or salad, the possibility is endless, quite literally.

Now I know you shouldn’t mess with the classics or should one say “don’t fix something that’s not broken” but I say it doesn’t hurt to try? I mean with all the roasted garlic craze happening at the moment, we seem to put it in everything. Oh and yes, it’s very delicious if I haven’t made that clear enough.

Ingredients

2 handfuls basil
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1 garlic bulb
1/2 lemon
1/4 cup parmesan parmigiano
1/4 – 1/3 cup olive oil
Rigatoni pasta
Salt and pepper

If you want a super quick midweek dinner, you can definitely make the pesto in advance and then just toss it in some cooked pasta once you’re ready to eat.

Method

Roast your garlic, it’s going to take the longest time but it’s all so worth it.

Cut 1cm from the top of your garlic bulb to expose the cloves. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper over the exposed cloves. Wrap tightly in aluminium foil and bake or airfry at 190C for 40-45 mins.

Halfway through the roasting process, put a pot of salted water on the stove to get it boiling. Cook your pasta to al dente.

While the boiling water/pasta situation is happening, make your pesto: In a mortar and pestle or blender, add in the washed basil, squeezed out roasted garlic, toasted pine nuts, lemon zest and juice, parmesan and olive oil, and grind to smooth. (If you’re using a mortar and pestle, grind your basil and pine nuts first before adding the rest of the ingredients). Salt and pepper to taste.

Drain your cooked pasta and add in few heaping tbs of pesto and pasta water, and toss until creamy and well combined.