Ever since my basil plant died, i’ve been longing for another good plate of good ol’ pesto pasta. Unfortunately, basil leaves are ridiculously expensive and there’s no way i’d spend $15-20 on leaves alone.
So what do i do?
Look for a cheaper alternative!
Armed with the recipe from Sunday Times a couple of weeks ago, the helper and i got down to some pretty easy work.
Verdict : move over basil leaves!!!!
Laksa leaves rock as much, and they are so so so so so so so so much more affordable!! *wink*
Do give this a try!
If you like pesto pasta as much as i do, you will love this to bits too… Cheaper ingredients definitely do not equate to lousier food. Fresh is the keyword.
Laksa leaf and Cashew Nut Pesto Pasta
from ST Times
1 1/2 cups fresh laksa leaves, stalks removed – i used more!
2 large red chilies, chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled
150g cashew nuts, roasted
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 cup olive oil
8 large prawns, peeled and deveined
4 large scallops or 1 large squid, cut into rings
1. Place laksa leaves, garlic, chili, cashew nuts, salt in a blender and process until a loose paste is formed (the hard nuts help break down the laksa leaves that may be stringy).
2. Stir in the fish sauce and oil until the paste is sticky (but not too oily).
3. Add hot spaghetti and cooked prawns and squid – to be blanched in pasta water earlier – and toss with the pesto in the empty pasta pot.
4. Serve immediately.