The fine chaps from Blaencamel farm were selling bunches of wild garlic at the market on the weekend. The smell of it always reminds me of walking in summer and I knew it would make a quick and easy pesto.
In a food processor or mini chopper, blend together first a thumb-sized piece of Parmesan and half a pack (50g) of hazelnuts. Add a bunch of wild garlic and enough olive oil to make a smoothish paste. If you do this on the weekend, tea in the week can be ready in minutes. It keeps in the fridge for a week – pour a little layer of oil on top every time you use it and it’ll keep the air out.
I discovered Orzo thanks to the recent Nigellissma series – she does a brilliant ‘risotto’ with it which I had to try (it is amazing). It’s such a quick pasta to use and with fresh pesto stirred through it did become quite risottoesque (in half the time of making a real one). I added some little peas and sweet char-grilled peppers (from a jar) and served it up under a grilled pork chop.
It’s the first time I’ve gone off-piste with pesto and I’ll be trying more variations through the summer I think – just playing about with different herbs and nuts. Thinking parsley and a little lemon juice to go with fish next.
