Add a large saucepan of salted water to the stove and add a good pinch of salt. Put the lid on and turn the heat to high. Cook according to the packet instructions.
180 g fusilli
While the pasta is cooking its time to make the pesto. Add the basil leaves to a food processor along with the garlic and 3/4 of the pine nuts.
25 g basil, 25 g pine nuts, 2 cloves garlic
Season with salt and pepper and then blitz until roughly chopped. Add 3 – 4 tbsp of olive oil to the processor and blitz again until smoother. Add another 2 tbsp of oil and blitz again until nearly smooth. Pesto should a bit of body. Transfer the pesto to a bowl making sure to use a spatula to clean the sides and then add the grated parmesan cheese. Cover with clingfilm and keep in the fridge until ready to serve.
salt, ground pepper, extra virgin olive oil, 30 g parmesan
When the pasta is nearly done, add the green beans for the last 2 – 3 minutes. When cooked, drain into a colander and then place the pasta and beans under cold running water to stop them from cooking. Once cool, leave to drain fully.
150 g green beans
Add the pasta and green beans into a large serving dish and scatter both the tomatoes and the sun dried tomatoes over the top.
10 large plum tomatoes, 10 medium sun dried tomatoes
Add the mozzarella and a little drizzle of olive oil and gently mix together.
125 g mozzarella
Scatter the remaining pine nuts, rocket/arugula and add the pesto with a little garnish of basil.
5 g rocket
Notes
You can also add a little squeeze of lemon to this dish if you like a citrus hit.