Sicilian Roasted Veg Spaghetti with Zesty Almond Pesto Recipe

Ingredients

1 fennel bulb
250g baby plum tomatoes
35g flaked almonds
1 garlic clove
A large handful of flat leaf parsley
50g rocket
1 lemon
200g spaghetti
80g black olives
A pinch of chilli flakes
2½ tbsp olive oil
Sea salt
Freshly ground pepper

Prep: 20 mins | Cook: 30 mins

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Method

1. Heat your oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6. Trim the dry tips off the fennel bulb and chop it into small chunks. Save any soft fennel fronds for later. Halve the tomatoes. Tumble the veg onto a baking tray. Drizzle with ½ tbsp olive oil and season. Roast for 30 mins.

2. While the veg roast, put a large pan of water on the hob to boil. Place a frying pan on a medium heat. When it's warm, tip in the almonds and toast for 2-3 mins till golden and nutty smelling. Tip onto a chopping board and let them cool.

3. Peel and grate the garlic clove. Finely chop the parsley leaves and stalks. Finely chop half the rocket. Zest and juice the lemon. Place them all in a bowl. Finely chop the cooled almonds and add them to the bowl. Pour in 2 tbsp olive oil and stir to mix. Taste and season with salt and pepper. This is your pesto (see our tip, at the end).

4. When the veg has roasted for 20 mins, add a large pinch of salt to the water on the hob, which should now be boiling. Drop in the spaghetti and cook for 10 mins. Drain the spaghetti, reserving a cupful of the cooking water.

5. Stir the almond and parsley pesto through the pasta, adding a little cooking water to loosen the sauce if you think it needs it. Add the roast fennel and tomatoes and the olives. Toss to mix, then heap up in bowls with the remaining rocket. Sprinkle with a pinch of chilli flakes to serve (they're hot, so use as much or as little as you like).