Pretty pesto pasta recipe

Pretty pesto pasta recipe

by Stephanie Spencer |
Published on

Preparation Time

15 minutes

Serves

4

Nutrition

N/A

Puree

Mash some avocado with a little tuna for a tasty healthy meal for your little one.

Finger Food

Serve up some pasta and tuna – add a little grated cheese for extra calcium.

Ingredients

  • 600g pretty-looking pasta (by pretty, I mean it’s a shape the children like)

  • 2 avocados

  • Juice of ½ lemon

  • Zest of 1 lemon

  • 6 heaped tbsp pesto

  • 2 x 200g tins tuna in oil, drained

  • Handful of green olives (optional)

  • 4 tbsp toasted pine nuts (optional)

  • Black pepper (optional)

A favourite family meal from Nadia Sawalha that will soon be on your list of most-asked-for recipes too.

‘Although both my youngest daughters Maddie and Kiki love this super-easy dish, they hate the pine nuts,’ says Nadia. ‘So I sprinkle them on mine and my husband Mark’s portions at the end – oh, yes, and ‘no olives’ on Maddie’s! Is everyone happy now?’

1.  Cook the pasta as directed.

2.  While the pasta is happily bubbling away, peel and cube the avocados and put into a bowl with the lemon juice and zest. Add the pesto, drained tuna and the olives, if using.

3.  Add the pasta and give a good stir, making sure you scoop up all the lemon juice. Serve on to plates before sprinkling with the toasted pine nuts and some freshly ground black pepper if you fancy a little bite (skip this if you have very young children). I like to have a green salad alongside my portion but obviously my children don’t!

Pregnant? Avocados help fight morning sickness and aid your baby’s brain and tissue growth.

Recipe adapted from Nadia Sawalha: Fabulous Family Food, £20, Macmillan. Photography by Mark Adderley and Nicky Johnston.

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