Simple Carrot Top Pesto Pasta with Halloumi
(yield: 2 portions)
Ingredients
Pesto:
1 clove of garlic (or 2-3 if stronger taste is preferred. I used 3!)
Juice of half a lemon
Carrot tops from 2-3 bunches of carrots (stems removed to prevent coarse fibre)
6-8 tablespoons of pine nuts (or any other nuts that you prefer… walnuts or hazelnuts will work well, too)
3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
A sprinkle of salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pasta: 160g Pasta Penne (I used a mix of white penne and whole-wheat penne or any other pasta you prefer)
200g Halloumi
Instructions:
Boil a small pot of water. Put the carrot tops in and cook for about 2 minutes.
Take the carrot tops out and rinse with cold water. Set aside to let dry.
Blend all the remaining ingredients for the pesto in a food processor. Add in the drained carrot tops and blend again.
Add the olive oil one tablespoon at a time to make sure it’s properly blended.
Cook the pasta in salted water for 12 minutes (15 minutes for wholewheat or until your pasta is al dente).
Cut the halloumi into slices. Pan-fry or grill the pieces until golden brown. Remove from the pan.
Put the pesto into the pan and warm it up on low heat. Add the pasta to the pan and mix until well combined.
Serve with the halloumi slices on top
Enjoy!
