Pesto Pasta with Asparagus and Salmon
Photography by Sarah Tuck.
This is such a brilliant, quick and easy dish, which is just as delicious served hot or cold.
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS
2 cups packed basil leaves, plus ¼ cup to garnish
⅔ cup parmesan
1 large clove garlic, crushed
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
⅔ cup pine nuts
2 cups broad beans
350–400 grams spaghetti
30 asparagus spears, halved (if thick asparagus, quartered)
300 grams oak roasted or hot smoked salmon, roughly torn into pieces
METHOD
Put the basil leaves in a small food processor with half of the pine nuts, half of the parmesan, the garlic and olive oil. Whiz until smooth and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Lightly toast the remaining pine nuts and set aside.
Bring a pot of water to boil and drop in the broad beans. Cook until the water comes back up to the boil then drain and refresh in a sink of cold water. Bring another two large pots of water to boil while you gently slip the broad beans from their pods. Pop the pasta in one pot and cook until just al dente – I usually go for one minute less than the recommended cooking time as it continues to cook once drained.
In the other pot drop in the asparagus for 1 minute, then drain. As soon as the pasta is cooked drain it, then toss with ¾ of the pesto, the podded broad beans, drained asparagus and salmon. Serve topped with remaining pesto and pine nuts with parmesan on the side.

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