Ingredients
- 400 g spaghetti or linguine
- 2 ripe avocados
- 1 packed cup (about 30 g) basil leaves, plus extra to serve
- 1 small garlic clove, peeled
- Finely grated zest of 1 lemon and 2 tbsp juice
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup (25 g) finely grated parmesan or vegetarian hard cheese, plus extra to serve
- 250 g cherry tomatoes, halved
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
- Bring a large pot of well-salted water to the boil (start with water from the kettle to save time). Cook the pasta until al dente, following the packet time.
- While the pasta cooks, scoop the avocado flesh into a food processor with the basil, garlic, lemon zest and juice, olive oil, parmesan and ½ tsp salt. Blitz until smooth and bright green.
- Scoop out 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and return it to the empty pot, off the heat.
- Add the avocado sauce and ¼ cup of the reserved water and toss well, adding more water a splash at a time until the sauce is glossy and coats every strand.
- Fold through the cherry tomatoes and season with pepper. Serve straight away, topped with extra basil and parmesan.
Grower's tip
Always add the sauce off the heat — warm pasta is fine, but cooking avocado can turn it bitter and dull the colour. This one is best eaten straight away, so make just what you need.
Shop the ingredients: 18 Large Avocados. Large avos give you plenty of creamy flesh — two make enough sauce for a family pot.
