Food and nutrition consultant Vanessa Clarkson shares a delicious pasta recipe from her book Real Food For Babies And Toddlers...
Here, I recommend quickly blanching the kale to take away the bitter edge, before blending it into the pesto. Stirring this through the ribbony pasta and serving with some simple roasted butternut pumpkin makes for a bright and delicious meal. 600 g (4 cups) peeled, seeded and diced butternut pumpkin 2 teaspoons sweet paprika 2 tablespoons olive oil 250 g pappardelle pasta 250 g curly kale, leaves stripped and roughly chopped PESTO 125 ml (½ cup) extra virgin olive oil 80 g (½ cup) unsalted raw cashews, preferably soaked for 2 hours beforehand, then rinsed and drained 40 g (¼ cup) sun-dried tomatoes 25 g (¼ cup) finely grated parmesan cheese 1 garlic clove juice of ½ lemon (remove pips) Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F). Combine the pumpkin, paprika and olive oil in a large bowl, and stir through to coat the pumpkin. Empty the pumpkin onto a baking tray, drizzling over any remaining spiced oil from the bowl, and roast for 20 minutes, or until soft. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the packet instructions. At the same time, bring a large pan of water to the boil and stand a colander in the sink ready to collect the kale. While the water is heating, place all of the pesto ingredients in a blender or food processor, and set aside. Blanch the kale in the boiling water for 30 seconds until it has started to wilt. Transfer to the colander at once, and rinse with cold, running water to stop further cooking, take away the bitter edge and preserve the beautiful colour. Add the kale to the food processor, and pulse for about 15 seconds until you have a thick paste. Empty the drained cooked pasta onto the baking tray with the squash, and stir through 3–4 tablespoons of the pesto, or more if desired then serve. Any leftover pesto can be kept covered with a thin layer of olive oil in an airtight container. Seal tightly, and keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For little ones: Pappardelle is a terrific pasta to choose for little ones because its thick ribbons are easy to handle. Depending on the skill level of your learner, you may want to cut the squash into fingers rather than dice for easier gripping. PREPARATION TIME: 15 minutes, plus 2 hours’ soaking (optional) COOKING TIME: 20 minutes DIETARY INFO: Gluten-free option (use gluten-free pasta) vegetarian MAKES 4 ADULT PORTIONS OR 8 BABY PORTIONS
Real Food For Babies And Toddlers by Vanessa Clarkson