I’m always putting my own twist on things, always adapting, playing. When it came to traditional pesto, I was continually in a bind, because of the dearth of basil around our household. Not that there isn’t a lot of basil. I keep two 16” pots of basil growing year round, and in summer grow another 20 plants. But there’s never enough basil for pesto.

There is, however, always lots of spinach around our household. And spinach is good for you, one of the miracle vegetables, known to be high in anti-carcinogens, assist in the battle against heart-disease, and, according to Harvard research, assist middle-aged women in retaining cognitive abilities into old age. So, thought I, why not make a pesto with spinach and basil? Nutritious, pretty to the eye, great to the palate. What could be better?

And as it turns out, this is Gary’s favourite pasta dish. When asked what sort of pasta he might like, the answer always is, “That green goo.”

As an aside: every growing season I make up about 15 to 20 containers of green goo and freeze it for easy use come winter. Who needs to buy gourmet sauces from the grocery store? The pesto not only makes a great sauce for pasta, but is an excellent medium in which to cook fish and poultry.

It should be noted, however, that if you’re not a fan of garlic, avoid this recipe, as garlic is a major player. And indeed, yes, I do mean 6 cloves of garlic, large ones. Garlic is alleged to assist in the reduction of cholesterol, and is known to be high in anti-oxidants, those cancer-fighting agents. If you grow your own vegetables, why not consider allocating a section of your garden for your own garlic? We grow about 90 bulbs every year, which takes us, usually, through the non-growing season.

Equally, if you’re concerned about the amount of olive oil in this recipe, and consequently the fat, rest easy. Olive oil contains no cholesterol, is known to assist in cancer and heart disease prevention, and aids the digestion.

Green Goo Pasta

½ pound fusili, rotini, or shells
1 pound fresh spinach, washed well and drained, or one package of frozen, thawed and well drained (reserve the water from the frozen spinach for vegetable stock)
6 cloves of garlic, peeled
½ cup of basil leaves
½ cup white wine
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 chili pepper
1 cup olive oil

Cook your pasta until a dente.

Toss all remaining ingredients into a food processor or blender, and whiz until smooth. If you don’t have either of these appliances in your kitchen tool-kit, you can finely chop the spinach, basil and chili pepper, grate the garlic, and whisk all the ingredients together.
Cook your favourite pasta and pour the gorgeously green goo over top, tossing, allowing to heat lightly. Serve with grated parmesan. Very yummy.

Serves 8

Nutrition Facts