Through this piece we’re going to look at how to create our favourite Wild Garlic Pesto! The pesto I made with wild garlic is thick, chunky and delicious with a huge range of recipes, from stuffing chicken breast to serving as wild garlic bread and of course the classic pesto and pasta – it’s truly versatile and can be bagged in zip seal bags and kept in the freezer for whenever you need it.
This recipe is quick, easy and has that classic taste that only simple cooking and fresh ingredients give you.
Wild Garlic Pesto Recipe Video
Ingredients:
– One hand/50g fresh Wild Garlic – stems and leaves
– One hand/50g Nettle tops
– 80g cob nuts – crushes (or sunflower seeds if you’re nut free)
– 80g hard cheese grated – parmesan (or a tablespoon yeast flakes)
– 100ml olive oil
– Basil to taste
– 10 Sorrel leaves (or the juice of half a lemon)
– 400g penne pasta (you can also use Gluten-Free Pasta)
Method:
– Bring a pan of water to the boil, add a pinch of salt and the dried pasta, this will take about 8 minutes in which time you can make the pesto.
- Chop the nettles and wild garlic in to small pieces, use gloves so you don’t get stung.
- If you have a food processor, chuck the nettle, wild garlic, cob nuts and sorrel leaves and basil in and blitz very quickly, 10 seconds at a time so it’s well mixed but still crunchy.
- If not put the wild garlic, nettle tops, sorrel leaves and mixed nuts in a pestle and mortar and grind well, add basil as you like (I prefer it without)
- In a bowl mix the garlic, nettle and nut paste to the grated cheese and add oil until you reach a consistency your happy with, season to taste.
- Drain the pasta, place in a large bowl and toss the pesto through it, enjoy with garlic bread and an extra sprinkling of parmesan cheese.
Or Store the pesto in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, alternatively bag and freeze using within 3 months.
