Step 1

This recipe will feed 8/10 people, for a smaller quantity simply halve the ingredients.

To make the pesto start by lightly toasting the pine nuts on a low heat until they are golden brown in colour. Be careful to keep the heat low and continuously stir as they are small and easy to burn which will spoil the flavour. Add 3/4 of the pine nuts to the blender for the pest and save the other 1/4 to use when dressing the dish at the end. Next roast 1.5 bulbs of garlic on a low heat in the oven before adding to the blender. Strip the basil leaves from stems and add to the mix, save one nice leaf per plate to dress the dish. A useful tip with storing your basil to keep it fresh if you are buying it in advance is to keep it wrapped in paper to keep it fresh as it will perspire in a plastic bag and become damp and wilted. Next add the olive oil, a generous squeeze of lemon juice, a splash of white wine and a dash of salt and pepper. Blend the mixture until it is a thick pourable liquid. Taste the pesto to see if it needs any more lemon juice or seasoning.

Step 2

When the pesto is ready pour yourself a large glass of wine to reward yourself for your ingenuity. 

Step 3

Dice 2 large onions and sautee until golden brown. Fry the mushrooms and red peppers in olive oil and a few teaspoons of truffle paste. Boil the pasta for roughly 5 minutes and test if it is ready by throwing it at a wall and seeing if it sticks or alternatively eating a bit. 

Step 4

Put half a bulb of garlic into a food processer or finely chop or crush. Mix with the margarine and a teaspoon of oregano. Spread a generous amount on the sliced baguette and toast in the oven for 5 minutes.

Step 5

Mix the pesto and fried onions with the pasta and then serve the dish with the mushrooms and peppers spooned over the top, a sprinkle of toasted pine nuts and dress with a basil leaf :)