White bowl on a marble surface containing fresh basil pesto pasta

Fresh Basil Pesto Pasta Recipe with Social Pantry

This fresh and seasonal dish is worthy of any summer dinner.

By Carina Bartle, VP Sales & Partnerships

Summer calls for al fresco dining, tables adorned with crowd pleasers for guests to enjoy and easy recipes that make the most of delicious seasonal produce. Who better to ask for her go-to summer dish than Alex Head, the owner and founder of Social Pantry, a London catering company known for their abundant feasts of incredible food that is seasonal, sustainable and stylish.

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“In August, I find myself clinging onto the summer-holiday joys of hosting friends for leisurely lunches in the garden, eating and sitting outside late into the evenings, and making fresh, vibrant recipes” says Head. Her favourite? “Pesto pasta is probably the ultimate quick and easy recipe for those times you want guaranteed comfort and deliciousness with minimal fuss, but this recipe takes things up a notch. This is a pesto pasta recipe that you can serve at those last few blissful summer parties on a big platter in the centre of the table or as a side dish that might just steal the show.”

Serve in large white bowls and don’t forget to make some extra - you’ll thank us later.

Ingredients for the Pasta (serves 4):

– 400g 00 flour
– 4 whole eggs

Ingredients for the Pesto:

– 100g fresh basil
– 50g pine nuts, toasted
– 50g Parmesan cheese, grated
– 1 clove of garlic
– 150ml extra virgin olive oil
– 100g fresh or frozen peas
– 100g green beans
– Extra Parmesan cheese or pine nuts to serve

To make the pasta dough:

Step 1: Mix flour and eggs in a bowl until combined.

Step 2: Knead the dough for about five minutes, until smooth and silky.

Step 3: Wrap in cling film and put in the fridge to rest for a minimum of 30 minutes.

To shape the strozzapreti:

Step 1: Shape your dough into a flat disk, and on a lightly floured surface roll the dough to a thickness of about 1/8 of an inch.

Step 2: Use a pastry or pizza cutter to cut your dough into 1 to 1 1/2 inch strips.

Step 3: Pick up one strip and gently stretch slightly with your fingers.

Step 4: Place the strip between the palms of your hands, and gently rub back and forth to twist the dough into a tube like shape.

Step 5: Once you have shaped the top of the strip, tear it off and continue rolling the rest of the strip.

Step 6: Continue to roll and tear the remaining strips of dough, then drop the finished strozzapreti onto a lightly floured baking sheet.

To make the basil pesto:

Step 1: Put all ingredients in a food processor and whizz until smooth. It’s that simple!

To make the final dish:

Step 1: Bring a pot of salted water to the boil. Once boiling add the strozzapreti, green beans and peas.

Step 2: Cook for 3 minutes. Nobody ever turns down extra Parmesan at the table, so grate some additional Parmesan to serve during this time.

Step 3: Step 3: Transfer to a bowl with the pesto, mix well whilst being gentle with the fresh pasta, and enjoy!

Header Image: Social Pantry

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