Pasta with Spinach and Walnut Pesto

Linguine or spaghetti, 500g
Chilli flakes
Sea salt 1 tsp for pesto, handful for pasta water
Walnuts, 45g/ 1/3 cup, chopped
Olive oil, 60ml/ 1/4 cup, more for drizzling
Frozen spinach, 250g, thawed
Lemon, 1, zested and juiced

Heat a small frying pan on medium-low heat and add walnuts. Toss for about 2 minutes, until the nuts are fragrant and toasted. Remove from the heat and transfer to a plate.

Squeeze any excess liquid from the defrosted spinach.

Add the walnuts, garlic, oil and 80ml water to a food processor and blend until smooth.

Next add the spinach and salt and process until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add a little more water.

Pour the pesto into a bowl and add the lemon zest and half of the lemon juice.

Taste and season if required.

Cook the pasta in salted water, according to the packet instructions.

Retain 1 cup of the pasta water and drain the pasta.

Add the spinach pesto to the drained pasta, along with a good drizzle of olive oil and enough of the pasta water to create a sauce.

Season with sea salt and pepper, sprinkle with red chilli flakes and squeeze over the remaining lemon juice.