Rocket and Walnut Pesto

This pesto is really delicious and easy to make, it's amazing just slathered on a piece of toasted crusty bread, spread or dolloped on to pizza or tossed through hot pasta for a quick meal. I recently made it along with some potato gnocchi and it was so so good.

Rocket and Walnut Pesto

50g of Rocket
50g Walnuts
50g Parmesan Cheese (good quality please!)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tbsp Lemon Juice
Salt and Pepper to taste


If you're using parmesan from a block (which I hope you are) then cut it in to thin slices first to ensure you don't get surprise cheese chunks in your pesto.

Pop all of the ingredients in to a food processor, blender or use a stick mix and whiz until not quite smooth (you want a few chunks). I use a mini food processor it's fantastic for curry pastes, pesto's and chopping small amounts.

Hummus

You will never buy hummus again once you make it, even from plain old canned chickpeas it is so much tastier and so much cheaper to make!

You can get a bit fancy with additions like roasted garlic, roasted pumpkin or using white beans instead of chickpeas but the plain old stock standard is always delish.

Hummus

 

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp of tahini
1 tsp lemon juice
a lug of olive oil
1 small clove of garlic (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
water if needed

Put everything in to a food processor, blender (or you can use a stick mixer) and puree until smooth, if the mix is too thick and not blending properly add a little water to loosen it. I like to sprinkle a little hot paprika on top and add a drizzle of olive oil.

1 can of chickpeas will make about the same amount you'll get in a med-large tub of dip, and about twice as much as in the photo (I was hungry).