Parsley and Pistachio Pesto

I really love pesto, its one of my favourite things to make and eat. I learnt how to make it when i was a teenager from my mother so it's one of the oldest in my repertoire.

Unfortunately basil is only really good in summer. Luckily parsley makes an equally good pesto and is plentiful all year round.

I tried to grow my own parsley but it went to seed last year and died. I have recently found it again away from the veggie patch sneaking up behind some pot plants though he is not really ready to be picked.

A very good friend has been far more successful than me and she brings me over huge bunches of the best unadulterated parsley ever. Thank goodness for good friends.

Use the best parsley you can find for this recipe.

INGREDIENTS

makes about two cups

A big bunch of parsley or two small bunches (home grown or organic preferably)

200g of shelled pistachios

A small clove of garlic

Juice of one lemon

1 tsp salt

2 tsp of apple cider vinegar

1 cup of olive oil

DIRECTIONS

Remove the large stems from the parsley so your left with just the leaves and the smaller steams, skin the garlic and place all the ingredients into the blender. 

Use the pulse action on your blender or food processor, you don't want the consistency to smooth.

I regularly stop the processing and move it all around with a butter knife to make sure it's all getting blended. Alternatively you could make this with a mortar and pestle.

Place in a clean jar, top with extra olive all and store in the fridge for up to a week.

Use on your favourite pasta (I like to use spelt) or raw sweet potato (winter) or raw zucchini (summer) pasta or use the recipe below.

Its also really good served as a dip with organic corn chips and hummus.

My daughter likes it instead of butter on her toast for eggs and soldiers (camouflage soldiers)

I love pasta but I try not to eat it to often. I used a purple sweet potato instead of pasta and I have to say it was better. 

It has a lovely soft and starchy texture comparable to gnocchi  but it is much sweeter and complex in flavour and is better for you.

Bake the sweet potato in the oven at 250 degrees celsius in a oven proof pot with a lid on it. I use this method rather that tin foil, again it's better for you and the environment.

This should take around 20-30 minutes depending on the size of your sweet potato. Test it with a knife, it should be nice and soft and you will see little bits where it has caramelised on the sides.

Open it up through the middle, top with the pesto and some goats feta( if your not vegan of course), olive oil and cracked pepper and serve with a green salad.

This is lovely as a main or served as a side dish.

Enjoy!