Planet Veggie

Another Delia recipe.  She’s one of those annoying chefs who either a) think parmesan is vegetarian; or b) can’t be bothered to state parmesan-style cheese in their recipes.  This is one of my pet hates.  Parmesan is NEVER vegetarian.  If you eat parmesan, you are not vegetarian, unless you consider a dead calf’s stomach lining to be vegetarian that is.  Anyway, rant over and on with the recipe.

Ingredients (serves 2)

6 oz (175g) trofie pasta
120g pesto, bought or home made
3 oz (75g) dwarf or fine green beans, or fresh shelled peas
3 oz (75g) Anya salad potatoes
2 1/2 oz (60g) Parmesan-style cheese

1. Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the box.
2. Meanwhile, if you are using beans, trim and cut them into lengths, about 1 1/2 inches (4 cm).  Wash and slice the potatoes next, leaving the skins on; they need to be fractionally thicker than a 50p coin.
3. After the pasta has cooked for 10 minutes, throw the beans and potatoes in to join the pasta.  (If using peas, give them slightly less cooking time.)  Now give the ingredients another stir and bring the water back to the boil, then boil for another 8 minutes.
4. Drain the pasta, potatoes and beans (or peas) in a colander, not completely, as it needs a little water still clinging to it.  Then tip everything back into the saucepan, add the pesto sauce, and stir it pretty niftily to give everything a good coating.  Finally serve with the parmesan-style cheese in a bowl to sprinkle over.