Quick Pesto Pasta

This is a super quick pasta salad recipe that includes most of the ingredients for pesto but forgoes the mortar and pestle! Great for a spontaneous beach picnic and also wonderful when you do not have heaps of fresh basil. Ingredients 400 g penne or spiral pasta 3 carrots 20 sugar snap peas, 2 baby zucchini and/or bunch of broccolini 1 bunch basil, roughly chopped 1 clove fresh garlic 1/3 cup pine nuts extra virgin olive oil butter 1/3 cup cream 1/3 to 1/4 cup freshly grated or shaved parmesan salt and pepper to taste

Method 1. Put salted water on to boil for the pasta. 2. Clean carrots. Slice in half and then into thin half moons. Set aside. 3. Cut into bite size piece the sugar snaps, zucchini and/or broccolini.  Keep separate as they have different cooking times. 4.  When water boils, add pasta.  Set timer for five minutes and then add the carrots to the water too.  If using broccolini, add the chopped stems and tops for the last two minutes. 5.  In a small fry pan, lightly toast pine nuts. 6.  Once pine nuts are toasted set aside, reduce heat and gently melt a knob of butter in the pan. Fry the zucchini if you are using it. Add the cream once the zucchini is golden and bring to a slight boil before removing from the heat. 7. Once pasta is cooked, drain pasta and vegetables in a colander. Rinse, bounce out any remaining water and return to pan. 8.  Press garlic through garlic press over the pasta.  Add the butter and cream sauce, toasted pine nuts, chopped basil,  and grated parmesan.  Toss and lightly coat with olive oil.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Add extra cheese if desired.  The pasta tends to absorb the salt so I add extra.