
Serves: 4
Preparation Time: 5 mins
Cooking Time: 15 Mins
Ingredients
- 500 g linguine pasta
- 3 cups firmly packed fresh basil leaves
- 120 g pine nuts, toasted (plus a few extra to garnish)
- ½ packet Perfect Italiano™ Extra Sharp Parmesan, grated
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 60 ml olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 400 g chicken breast, chopped
Method
- Preheat the oven to 190°C.
- Melt half the butter in a large, deep-sided pan over a medium heat.
- Add the leeks and cook for 5 minutes or until softened.
- Add the bacon and continue to cook for 4 minutes or until the bacon begins to turn golden.
- Add ¼ cup of cider and continue to cook for 3 minutes.
- Meanwhile, melt the remaining butter in a medium saucepan over a medium heat.
- Once the butter has melted, add the flour and stir continuously for around 1 minute.
- Place the basil, pine nuts, grated parmesan and lemon juice in a food processor and blitz until finely chopped.
- With the motor running, gradually add the 60ml olive oil in a thin steady stream until the pesto is well combined.
- Set aside.
- Cook the linguine according to the packet instructions.
- Drain the pasta into a colander.
- While the pasta is cooking, add olive oil to a large frying pan over a medium high heat.
- Add the chicken and fry for 4-5 minutes or until cooked and lightly brown.
- Add the pesto and cooked pasta into the frying pan, and gently toss until the pesto coats the pasta.
- Serve immediately topped with a few toasted pine nuts.