Spaghetti with Pesto Toasted Pine Nuts and Roasted Baby Fennel

Ingredients

Serves 4

5oog long spaghetti

Salt and pepper 

Olive oil

200g baby fennel

For the pesto

Handful pine kernels, plus extra to serve

3 garlic cloves

Good handful fresh Basil leaves

Small bunch watercress, leaves only

2 tbsp grated parmesan plus extra to serve

Olive oil 

Pre-heat the oven to 200C

Place the baby fennel in a small roasting tin, drizzle with olive oil and roast for 30-35 minutes until tender.

Put the Spaghetti on to cook in a pan of deep, heavily salted, boiling water.

Toast the pine nuts in a frying pan – keep a close eye on them and keep moving them around the pan until they are pale golden-brown.

Peel the garlic and crush it with a large pinch of sea salt using a pestle and mortar. Add the basil leaves and continue crushing with the pestle.

Add  the watercress leaves to the basil, continuing to crush until you have a bright green purée.

Add the toasted pine kernels, crush, then add the grated parmesan. Slowly mix in enough olive oil to give a good thick sauce.

When the spaghetti is cooked (about 9 minutes), drain lightly and tip back into the empty pan. Add the pesto and some black pepper then toss gently to mix. Serve with roasted fennel, extra parmesan and toasted pine kernels.