food 4 tots

Pesto pasta

pesto, pasta, basil, Western, kid, toddler, food for tots

Ingredients:
200g uncooked spaghetti

Pesto sauce:
60g fresh basil leaves
30g pine nuts (lightly toasted)
2 large cloves garlic (crushed and roughly chopped)
100ml olive oil
2-3 tbsp finely grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and black pepper to taste

Methods:
1. Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet. Drain the pasta but reserve 2 tbsp of the cooking water. Return pasta to the pan with the cooking water.
2. Place basil, pine nuts and garlic in a food processor and, with the motor running, gradually pour in the oil to form a smooth paste. Stir in cheese. Season to taste.
3. Toss the pesto through the hot pasta until well combined. Serve immediately.

Tips: Peas, green beans, carrots, cauliflower or broccoli could be used to serve with pasta. Meat eaters could add some cooked chicken or bacon.

Pesto sauce can be used in many ways ie swirl a spoonful of pesto in soups, stir it into bread dough or spread it over toast!

You can also watch a video on how to make pesto and store it for later use on Make Michael Chiarello’s pesto show.

basil,, herb, kid, toddler, food for tots

basil, herb, kid, toddler, food for tots

pesto, basil, kid, toddler, food for tots

pine nuts, kid, toddler, food for tots

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13 Comments

  1. noobcook says:

    Wow this looks really good and easy! What brand & type of blender are u using? I’m thinking of buying a smallish one, hehe …

  2. FOOD FOR TOTS says:

    I am using U-like blender/grinder/chopper with 2 diff size of cups. It comes with a soya milk extractor. I find it very useful and handy for small family. I used it to make my mango lassi too (as it can crush ice). They always have a demo counter at Isetan household dept. Recently I saw one at Isetan Parkway Parade.

  3. noobcook says:

    ah thanks for the info! I will check it out if I’m at Isetan 🙂

  4. Jason Wong says:

    Pine nuts are an expensive ingredient in Penang. But it has that nutty flavored essential oil and a sweet tasting flavour. We love them a lot.

  5. jane says:

    Do you know whether the U Like blender is available in malaysia?

  6. jane says:

    Thanks for your info. I have asked one of my friends in spore to buy it for me. It costs $69.9. Haven’t get it yet. Hope i will like it 🙂

    • food-4tots says:

      Jane: You’re welcome! Hope you like it. Today, I mixed my pesto sauce with some mayo and served it as a dip for my oven baked fish. It was yummy!! Btw, I have never come across such a pricey pesto sauce in Singapore. I guess the quality and quantity must be a great different than my recipe. Don’t mind to share with me the brand name and where to buy it. I’m interested to check it out. Thanks! 😉

  7. Michelle says:

    Hi, I have been checking out on blender cum choppers cos so blogs have this yummy pesto pasta recipes. So how is U-Like blender , having used it for 3 yrs now? The chopping is good? Where can u replace the blade? It’s retailing at $69.90 now, still selling at Isetan 🙂

    • food-4tots says:

      Michelle: I had been using this blender for almost 4 years. I used it for creamy soup, soy bean, milkshakes, rice grain, sesame seeds, bread crumbs and many other things. Though it may not be the best as compared to other well-known models, it’s considered a value-for-money investment to me. You can buy the replacement from Isetan customer service. So far, I had changed my blade once due to a small crack line. Besides Isetan, I had seen their counter at Tang, Orchard. Hope it helps! 😉

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