Method

To make the pesto

1. Grind the basil, pine nuts and grated parmesan cheese with a mortar and pestle until a smooth paste forms. Slowly add ¼ cup / 50 ml of olive oil, grinding until a smooth sauce forms. If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, use a food processor instead.

2. Season the pesto to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Cover the pesto and set it aside.

To prepare the pasta and serve

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil over high heat.

2. Add the fettuccine to the boiling, salted water and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking, about 2 minutes.

3. In another pot cook fresh peas and drain.

4. Drain the fettuccine, reserving about 1 ½ cups of the cooking liquid.

5. Toss the fettuccine and cooked peas in a large bowl with the pesto mixture in order to coat the fettuccine and peas with the pesto, adding enough of the reserved cooking liquid to moisten the sauce so that it coats the pasta evenly.

6. Using a two-pronged carving fork, swirl some of the pasta around the fork. Slide the pasta off the fork and mound it in the centre of a plate. Repeat for each serving.

7. Drizzle a little pesto around the edge of each plate.

8. Garnish with shaved parmesan cheese and serve.