My friends, I'm about to share a culinary confession. I'm a pasta *purist*. No, not in a snooty, 'only handmade tagliatelle' kind of way. I'm just addicted to the simple pleasure of swirling, twirling, and stuffing my face with good ol' fashioned carbs. And lately, my heart has been stolen by a dish so heavenly, it practically sings opera in my stomach: fusilli with goats' cheese and watercress.
Now, you might be thinking, 'Fusilli? That's a bit basic, isn't it?' You'd be wrong. This dish is anything but 'basic.' It's a symphony of textures and flavours, a delicate dance of creamy, tangy, and peppery goodness.
Imagine this: perfectly cooked fusilli, each spiral a little cloud of happiness. Then, picture the glorious goat cheese, melting into the pasta, a creamy embrace that coats every single twist. And finally, the watercress, so fresh and vibrant, its peppery bite adding a touch of zing that cuts through the richness. It's pure culinary magic!
So next time you're feeling adventurous, grab some fusilli, a bit of goat cheese, and a handful of fresh watercress. You might just surprise yourself.
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 10-12 mins
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
375g dried fusilli
50g pine nuts, toasted
1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
150g watercress, plus extra sprigs to serve
7 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
150g crumbly goats' cheese, plus extra to serve
salt and black pepper
Instructions:
1. Cook the pasta in a large saucepan according to packet instructions until al dente.
2. Put the pine nuts, garlic and watercress in a food processor with a generous pinch of salt. Process for 15 seconds until roughly chopped. Then, with the motor running, drizzle in the oil while you process for a further 20 seconds.
3. Drain the pasts thoroughly and tip into a bowl. Crumble in the goats' cheese and stir well. Season with pepper , then stir the pesto into the hot pasta.
4. Divide between 4 serving plates and serve immediately with a scattering of goats' cheese and pine nuts and some watercress sprigs.
For goats' cheese and rocket pesto: Replace the watercress with 150g wild rocket leaves. Be careful not to over-blend the watercress (or rocket) and pine nuts as the pesto is best when it retains some texture.