Trofie Liguria

I can't lay any claim to this recipe, it's one of St. Delia's and it's also known as Trofie Liguri. I’ve been meaning to put it on the blog for ages, but unfortunately I kept forgetting to take a picture before we demolished it! This is a really good after-work meal that can be on the table in 20 minutes.

Although Delia suggests using pesto from the chiller cabinet I can almost guarantee it won't be vegetarian so I always use Sacla Organic which is one of the few widely available pestos that’s veggie. I'd love to make my own but basil just refuses to grow for me and the quality of fresh basil is so hit and miss that I've given up on it for the time being; at least a jar is reliable.**


I’ve mentioned this recipe a couple of times on food messageboards and it always seems to elicit one of two responses; either “Pasta and potatoes....? No thanks!” or  “Oooh, pasta and potatoes….sounds lovely!” The idea of putting two carbs together really seems to polarise opinion and maybe it’s a bit like the Marmite slogan says, you either love it or hate it. Don’t knock it ‘til you’ve tried it though, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

175g trofie pasta
75g salad potatoes
75g fine green beans*
2 tbsp Sacla organic pesto

grated parmesan-style cheese   

 

Bring a large pan of water to the boil and add the pasta, give it a quick stir and let it bubble for 10 minutes. While the pasta is cooking slice the potatoes to the thickness of a £1 coin then top and tail the beans and chop them into thirds.

When the 10 minutes are up add the potatoes and beans to the pan; bring back to the boil and cook for exactly 8 minutes then drain the contents of the saucepan, reserving a couple of tablespoons of the cooking water.

Tip the potatoes, beans and pasta back into the saucepan along with the reserved water and the pesto. Stir carefully to give everything a nice coating of pesto.

Serve  immediately in warmed pasta bowls with plenty of parmesan-style cheese for sprinkling.

Serves 2.

*I’ve also made this with broccoli or peas instead of green beans. It’s equally as good.
**Update: I finally took the plunge and made my own pesto - you'll find it here if you fancy a look. It was worth waiting for!