Hey pesto! Add some Italian magic to your meals with these recipes

Both these recipes take less than 20 minutes to make, so are ideal for a quick and easy, but full of flavour, mid-week supper.

The Omega-3, rich-roast salmon is positively enlivened by the Sacla Classic Pesto crust.
The Italian basil pesto not only tastes delicious, but also fills the kitchen with the fragrant bouquet of Liguria while the peppery rocket is perfect alongside.

The salmon recipe uses half a jar of the ready-made sauce, so why not use the remaining half to make the second, creamy pasta recipe…

The sauce, with plenty of freshly milled black pepper and parmesan, transforms tagliatelle into a midweek marvel – just like mama used to make.

Pesto-topped salmon

(Serves 2)

Ingredients

• 2 salmon fillets, skin on
• Half a jar of Sacla Classic Basil Pesto
• 25g fresh white breadcrumbs
• A small handful of parmesan cheese, grated
• 6 asparagus spears
• Fresh rocket, to serve

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/400F/Gas Mark 6.
2. Arrange the salmon fillets on a non-stick baking tray.
3. In a small bowl mix together the breadcrumbs, parmesan and pesto.
4. Press half of the mixture on top of each salmon fillet.
5. Bake in the middle of the oven for 10-12 minutes, until the fish is cooked through.
6. Meanwhile, pour boiling water into a pan.
7. Add the asparagus and cook for 1-3 minutes, until bright green and tender.
8. Serve the salmon on a bed of rocket and asparagus.

Creamy pasta with Sacla classic basil pesto

(Serves 2) 

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 6 rashers streaky bacon
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
• 100g button mushrooms, quartered
• 200g tagliatelle
• Half a jar of Sacla Classic Basil Pesto
• 150ml tub single cream
• 1 handful pitted black olives
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Freshly grated parmesan cheese

Method

1. Gently heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large deep-sided frying pan.
2. Add the bacon and cook for 2-3 minutes until lightly golden.
3. Add the garlic and mushrooms then cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Meanwhile, cook the tagliatelle in lightly salted boiling water as per the pack instructions.
5. Drain the pasta, reserving a little of the cooking water.
6. Add the pasta to the bacon, garlic and mushrooms, then stir together.
7. Add the pesto, cream and reserved cooking water to the pan.
8. Season and mix gently.
9. Add the olives and cook for a minute more.
10. Place the pasta in a warm serving dish and sprinkle abundantly with parmesan cheese.

More recipes…