Pistachio Pesto & Fusilli Salad

Cook Time: ~15 mins

Bright, bold, and full of contrast—this dish balances creamy mozzarella, fiery roasted chillies, and a punchy homemade pesto with crunchy nuts and fresh greens. It’s zesty, herbaceous, and just a little bit indulgent, with every bite delivering a mix of heat, richness, and refreshing zing.

• Serves: 2

• Prep: ~10 minutes

• Cook: ~15 minutes

Ingredients

• Fusilli pasta (125g)

• Mozzerella (125g)

• Basil (25g)

• Rocket & mixed leaves (50g)

• Green beans (150g)

• Parmigiano reggiano

• Pine nuts

• Pistachios

• Long red chilli (2-3)

• Two garlic cloves

• One lemon

• Extra virgin olive oil

• Salt & black pepper

Optional

• Good quality canned sardines (as a side)

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Notes

• N/A

Equipment

• A large pot to boil pasta

• Colander

Mise En Place

• There isn’t a whole lot of pre-prep required for this one, so you can start by whipping up a quick pesto.

• Blend 25g of basil, a couple of microplaned garlic cloves, a handful of pine nuts and pistachios, a generous seasoning of salt and fresh black pepper, and 100ml or so of extra virgin olive oil. Blend, taste, and season and/or add more olive oil to get the flavour and consistency you desire.

The Cook

1. Set the oven to 200°C, and roast your red chillies on a top shelf until all of the skin has blackened. You can alternatively use a hob. Once black, steam the chillies in a towel or sandwich bag for 15 minutes. Once steamed, you can remove the skin and slice finely.

2. Wash and trim the green beans. Bring a pot of water to a roaring boil, and cook the beans for 5 minutes. Decant into a colander, drain, and then dunk into ice-cold water while you prepare the rest of the salad. Once cooled, cut into thirds.

3. Grab a large pot, fill it with boiling water, add a generous handful of salt, and cook the fusilli pasta as per the packet instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool down.

4. In a large bowl, add the pasta, chopped green beans, the zest of a full lemon, and the juice of 1/2 a lemon, more extra virgin olive oil, a couple handfuls of pistachios and pine nuts, extra torn basil, rocket & mixed leaves, hand-shredded mozerella, and the sliced red chilli.

5. Mix the ingredients well, taste, and season where appropriate.

6. Serve with freshly ground black pepper, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and a lemon wedge. I like to have a few canned sardines to the side (optional).

If you attempt this dish, let me know how it goes, and if you variate the recipe in any way. This newsletter relies upon word of mouth, so if you know someone who would enjoy this recipe please share it.

Thanks for reading,

Conor