Ingredients

• 6oz -170g Fusilli pasta
• 1 packed cup of aragula (Rocket lettuce) plus 20 loose leaves
• 1 packed cup fresh basil leaves (plus 12 loose leaves)
• ⅓ cup - Pinenuts plus 2 tbsp
• 1½ cups grated Parmesan cheese
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large garlic clove
• Half a lemon
• Salt

Steps

• Step 1

  Place a large pot of water on the stove and bring to the boil. Salt accordingly once boiling.

• Step 2

  In a mortar and pestle, add the arugula and basil with a few pinches of salt. (flaky salt is best) Pound until mushed.
  Add a peeled garlic clove, pound until crushed. Add ⅓ cup pinenuts and crush. Add the grated Parmesan cheese. Keep pounding into a paste. Add the olive oil, mix well, then add the squeeze of half a lemon. Mix well. The pesto is ready.

• Step 3

  In a dry frying pan on high heat, add ⅓ cup pinenuts and toss until toasted. Once golden brown, transfer to a cold bowl and set aside.

• Step 4

  Add your fusilli pasta to the boiling water and under cook your pasta by 2 minutes. (i.e: if al dente is 11 minutes, cook for 9)

• Step 5

  In a frying pan, add one ladle of pasta water and place all your pesto into the water. Turn on heat to medium and mix well.

• Step 6

  Strain your pasta keeping some of the cooking water aside.

• Step 7

  Place your strained pasta directly into the the frying pan with the pesto sauce and mix well. Add more pasta cooking water to reach the desired thickness (Pasta will absorb a lot of the water) Cook for 2 minutes while mixing. Add the additional 12 leaves of the basil and arugula into the pan, mix well and serve.

• Step 8

  Garnish with more fresh arugula leaves and scattered toasted pinenuts.

• Step 9

  You can also add a drizzle of olive oil and a little more grated Parmesan cheese.

Little Tips

If your pasta water is well seasoned, there should be enough salt in the pesto mix, but always taste and season accordingly. Pepper is not required as the arugula is very peppery.