MARY'S midweek favourites

Easy-going, tasty recipes from the cookery queen herself

- JESSICA RANSOM

Spaghetti with peas and pesto

The pesto can be made up to 6 hrs ahead - any leftovers are delicious swirled through houmous.

SERVES 6 PREP 5 MINS COOK 15 MINS

• 250g frozen petits pois
• 115g unsalted cashew nuts
• 55g Parmesan, grated, plus extra to serve (optional)
• 2 large garlic cloves, halved
• Large bunch of roughly chopped basil
• 100ml olive oil
• 350g spaghetti

1 Cook the peas in a saucepan of boiling water for 3 mins. Drain and refresh under cold water. Drain again.

2 Place half the peas in a food processor and add the nuts, cheese, garlic, and basil. Whizz until finely chopped. Slowly add the oil, until you have a paste consistency. Season with salt.

3 Cook the spaghetti in boiling salted water according to the packet instructions. Reserve 50ml of the pasta water before draining.

4 Place the pesto in a large non-stick frying pan, add the reserved peas and the cooked spaghetti and a little of the pasta water. Toss everything over a high heat until well coated.

5 Season well with freshly ground black pepper and serve with extra Parmesan, if liked.

Per Serving: 512 cals, 26g fat (6g saturated), 50g carbohydrates

MARY'S TIP

Using cashew nuts instead of pine nuts in the pesto gives a creaminess to the sauce, but feel free to swap if you prefer.

Tuscan chicken

Based on a classic, this recipe is a favourite for an easy supper.