Wild Garlic Pesto Pasta
with a minimal list of ingredients and ready in under 20 min., this delicious and nutritious pasta is an absolute winner!
. . .
perfect as a mid-week dinner or easy weekend meal, this dish is simply a delight!
I can eat pasta every day! I do not, but I can. That being said, I try to use whole-wheat, chickpea, quinoa or spelt flour pasta and avoid pastas that use highly processed white flour (this is the type of flour can cause bloating and discomfort).
Wild garlic (Allium ursinum), also known as ramson or wild garlic, is a relative of chives that grows wild in damp woodlands, and is often found in marshlands (fenlands) or near water drainage ditches. As a wild uncultivated food, wild garlic is chock full of bioactive phytonutrients, minerals and vitamins that are known to be beneficial to health. Extract from the leafs has been shown to have strong anti-inflammatory properties, to lower blood pressure, decrease insulin sensitivity and lower cholesterol.
Peas are part of the legume family, but are often referred to as vegetables, which consists of plants that produce pods with seeds inside (lentils, chickpeas, beans and peanuts are also legumes). Green peas are fairly low in calories and contain several vitamins, minerals and antioxidants; also high in fiber and protein. They have several properties that may help prevent and treat some chronic diseases, such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes. It should be noted that green peas contain FODMAPs and lectins, which may cause bloating, especially when they are consumed in large amounts, but this is not an issue with most people.
Whole-grain pasta is high in fiber, rich in vitamins and provides energy because of its high carb content. And we all know by now that carbs are our friend, since they are considered macronutrients, which we need daily in large amounts, as they are the preferred source of energy for our muscles, red blood cells and nervous system. So eat your whole-grain pasta and enjoy life! :)
This pasta dish is the perfect dish for when you want a nice warm and nourishing home-cooked meal, but want minimum effort on your part. If you do not have wild garlic pesto, you can sub with any other pesto - use basil pesto, spinach pesto, arugula pesto, parsley pesto, even sun-dried tomatoes pesto or store-bought! The idea here is to use whatever you have readily available to prepare a restaurant-level dinner in the time it would take you to slip into your sweatpants and pour yourself a much-deserved glass of wine (or make a calming tea) after a hard day’s work!
needed ingredients
preparation details
I always say that toasted flavored breadcrumbs on top of a pasta dish is like heaven on earth and I stand by that full heartedly! I typically have a container of breadcrumbs on standby in my freezer for whenever my soul needs pasta, but if do not, you can use store-bought panko. Start by toasting the breadcrumbs with some olive oil and herbs until they are golden-brown and smell divine. I let mine toast a little extra, but you decide what level of crunchiness you like!
I try to add-in veggies into my daily rotation whenever I get the chance and a simple way to do this is by adding frozen peas to my pasta. If I had some arugula, I would have mixed that in after draining the pasta as well. The more veggies you consume, the merrier your gut microbes will be woop-woop
Always set aside a cup of pasta water in case you need it to thin-out the pasta at the end and I always end up using at least a part of it. I used a fresh batch of wild garlic pesto here, but if you are using a frozen pesto, just make sure to keep it on the heat for a few more minutes. As for the amount of pesto used, I believe in a person’s right to choose without any judgement (and as you can see, I use quite a bit of pesto)!
The pastа water really is a miracle water - on one hand helps thin out the sauce, but on the other, the starch in the water helps coat the pasta in the sauce. A word of advice - adding a little bit of pasta water at a time will prevent you from ending up with a mushy mess.
Once the desired consistency is achieved, serve the pasta topped with the toasted breadcrumbs, a little lemon zest and some pea-shoots or parsley as garnish.
The wild garlic pesto used here is oil-free and if you would like the whole dish to be, simply skip the oil when toasting the breadcrumbs. This pasta is so easy to make, it is packed with nutritious goodness and it is really delicious!
recipe
Wild Garlic Pesto Pasta
With a minimal list of ingredients and ready in under 20 min., this delicious and nutritious pasta is an absolute winner! Perfect as a mid-week dinner or easy weekend meal, this dish is simply a delight!
[vegetarian & vegan friendly]
[could be oil-free]
Author: The Kitchen Plot
Prep Time: 5 min.
Cook Time: 10 min.
Overall Time: 15 min.
Serves: 4
Perfect for: main, lunch, dinner
Keeps for: in fridge - 3 days
Ingredients:
1 pack (500 g) whole-wheat pasta
1 Tbsp coarse sea salt
1 Tbsp olive oil (optional)
1 cup (100 g) breadcrumbs or croutons, either homemade or store-bought
1 tsp Herbes de Provence or Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh black pepper
1 pack frozen peas
4 Tbsp wild garlic pesto (or any other pesto you have handy)
lemon zest, for garnish
red pepper flakes, for garnish
Method:
Start by cooking the pasta - place a large pot filled with water over medium-high heat, once it boils add the sea salt (they say pasta water needs to be salty like the sea) and cook the pasta according to the pasta packaging. Add the peas in the last 5 min. of the cooking time.
While the pasta is cooking, prepare the flavored breadcrumbs - heat a skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil, breadcrumbs, herbs, salt and pepper; mix everything well and let cook for about 3-5 min., stirring often to avoid burning. Remove form heat, transfer to a plate and set aside to cool.
* If you wish to make this dish completely oil-free, skip the olive oil and sprinkle a little bit of lemon juice (about 1 tsp) - this will add a lovely zesty flavor and help the herbs stick to the croutons.
Once the pasta is done cooking, save about a cup of the pasta water and drain the rest. Return the drained pasta back to the heat and add the wild garlic pesto (or whatever pesto you are using) and mix well. If you think that the pasta is too dry, add a little bit of the reserved pasta water and mix again. Keep doing that until you have reached the desired consistency.
* If you are using frozen pesto - cook the pasta 2-3 min. less than suggested on the packaging, drain (reserving a cup of the pasta water), add the frozen pesto, about half of the reserved pasta water and let cook for 3-5 min. to ensure the pesto is warmed properly.
Serve immediately, garnished with the flavored breadcrumbs, a little lemon zest, red pepper flakes and a couple sprigs of pea shoots or dill and parsley. The pasta can be stored in the fridge (without the breadcrumbs topping) for up to three days.
* To reheat - place in a pot with a little bit of water, mix well and heat for 5-7 min., stirring occasionally.
Bon Appétit!
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