Spinach Pesto Pasta

Steps

1. 1Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan over medium-low heat for 3–4 minutes, shaking often, until lightly golden and fragrant. They burn quickly, so tip them out as soon as they colour.
2. 2Cook the linguine in well-salted boiling water until al dente (8–10 minutes), reserving 1 cup of cooking water before draining.
3. 3Blitz the spinach, basil, pine nuts, garlic, parmesan and olive oil to a coarse, spoonable pesto. Pulse rather than blend continuously so it stays vivid green and slightly textured.
4. 4Loosen the pesto with 3–4 tbsp of the pasta water until it pours slowly from the spoon. Never heat pesto directly in a hot pan — it dulls the colour.
5. 5Toss the drained pasta with the pesto off the heat, adding more cooking water a spoonful at a time until every strand is evenly coated and glossy.
6. 6Finish with lemon juice, salt to taste and extra parmesan. Serve right away, while the sauce is bright.

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