Red wine and stews are synonymous with winter, but really, if you are clever about your selection, so is white wine and pasta! Try our recipe for a moreish vegetarian tagliatelle with one of our Chenin Blanc wines and warm up this winter!

Recipe for Basil Pesto and Ricotta Tagliatelle

Ingredients

Serves 4

1. 250 ml tightly packed basil leaves
2. 250 ml grated Parmesan cheese
3. 125 ml toasted cashew nuts
4. 100 ml lemon olive oil

Salt and pepper

500 g fresh tagliatelle

4 tablespoons basil pesto

250 g ricotta cheese

Grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley and basil

2 tablespoons butter

Extra drizzle of lemon-infused olive oil

Method

For the basil pesto:

Combine all the ingredients 1 – 4 in a food processor and blend until the correct consistency.

Bring a pot of salted water to the boil.

Drop the fresh tagliatelle into the water and cook at a rolling boil for 4 – 6 minutes or until al dente.

Once cooked, remove from the water and place straight into a serving bowl. Ladle 120 ml of the starchy pasta water onto the pasta. Add the basil pesto, ricotta, good quality Parmesan, herbs and butter.

Mix the pasta well until the cheese and butter are melted and resemble a slightly creamy sauce.

Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Drizzle a generous amount of lemon-infused Morgenster Extra Virgin Olive Oil to finish, as well as more Parmesan.

If you enjoy a serious white, try our 2016 Culinaria Chenin Blanc or otherwise opt for the recently released 2018 Leopard’s Leap Chenin Blanc from our Classic range.