Quick and easy nut and herb pasta

This quick, fresh and versatile pasta dish provides a little taste of spring whenever you make it

For this pasta dish, we’d recommend considering buying potted herbs for your window-ledge to avoid buying the packs wrapped in non-recyclable plastic.

Ingredients – (serves 2)

Prep time – 10 minutes, Cook time – 10 minutes

• 40g toasted nuts (we find pine works best)
• 160g dried pasta
• 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
• Half a red chilli, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp sugar
• 100g frozen peas
• 50g vegetarian hard cheese, grated
• A splash of white wine (optional)
• A handful of parsley, basil and chives, finely chopped
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Put a pan of salted water on high heat to boil. When it boils, add the pasta and set a 10-minute timer.
2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the garlic and chilli and cook for 15-20 seconds. Watch the garlic carefully. The moment a single piece of garlic starts to turn slightly brown, throw in the pine nuts and sugar and turn down the heat.
3. Stir to dissolve the sugar and add the splash of wine. It should fizz and spit as the wine hits the pan. If not, turn the heat back up and cook off the alcohol.
4. When there are five minutes to go on the pasta timer, add the frozen peas and turn the heat to low. Keep stirring so all of the peas thaw and then cook through. Add a pinch of salt and plenty of pepper.
5. When the pasta is done, strain it quickly but not too much (you want to retain some water in the pasta) and then drop the pasta into the saucepan with the pine nuts, etc.
6. Stir through the cheese, retaining a bit to sprinkle over when plated, and then the herbs. Serve with a sprinkle of the grated cheese.