Ingredients
2 Maris Piper or other large potatoes
4 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 packet of dried linguine
salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp mascarpone cheese
150ml/5fl oz vegetable stock
For the pesto
185ml/6½fl oz olive oil
250g/9oz pine nuts
2 bunches basil
150g/5½oz parmesan cheese, grated
1 lemon, juice only
Method
1. First make the pesto, put four tablespoons of olive oil in a 25cm/10in frying pan and place over moderate heat. Add the pine nuts and fry gently for two minutes, moving them constantly. Remove from the heat and allow the pine nuts to continue cooking gently off the heat.
2. Roughly chop the basil, stalks and all, and put in a mixing bowl.
3. Add all the parmesan, the lemon juice and the remaining olive oil, then pour in the pine nuts with their oil.
4. Using the end of a rolling pin or something similar, grind the mixture to a paste. You have made Pesto Genovese.
5. Peel the potatoes and slice them into thin disks, then cut the disks into thin slices. Turn the slices and cut them into cubes.
6. Place all the potato cubes in a bowl half-filled with water to help wash away the starch.
7. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and add the drained and dried potato cubes. Stir continuously until golden brown and crispy. Add the finely chopped garlic to the potatoes, then pour the potatoes into a sieve placed over a bowl to catch any juices.
8. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the linguine and cook for eight minutes, stirring occasionally. Whilst the pasta cooks, add the potatoes and garlic to the pesto.
9. Drain the cooked pasta and then return to the saucepan.
10. Add the pesto and potato mixture and stir gently.
11. Add the mascarpone with the vegetable stock and mix together well over a gentle heat.
12. Season.
