Carrot & Hazelnut Pesto

Sweet carrots, savory hazelnuts, and tangy cheese combine together to create an amazing tasting raw pesto. Since there isn’t much moisture in this ‘sauce’ it’s hard for it to cling to noodles – that’s why using a shell-shaped pasta is the best since it allows the pesto to get into every shell, ensuring you get some in every bite.

Place everything but the oil in the food processor and pulse until medium-coarsely chopped.

Once chopped to this consistency, turn machine on low and pour in oil. You don’t want to turn the mixture into a creamy paste, you still want each of the ingredients’ textures to be visible. So just process until mixture is finely chopped.

Season to taste with salt and pepper, then toss with a shell-shaped gluten free pasta (that’s the best for ‘capturing’ the pesto).

Carrot & Hazelnut Pesto

Marla Hingley

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Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 10 mins

Total Time 20 mins

Servings 6

Ingredients

  

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• 6 carrots 8oz, peeled & chopped
• 1/2 cup hazelnuts peel & toasted
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/2 cup Parmesan grated (2oz)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 1 lb GF shell pasta

Instructions

 

• For the best method to prepare the hazelnuts, see How to Peel Hazelnuts.
• Combine the carrots, nuts, garlic, and cheese into a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.
• With the motor running on low, drizzle in the oil until mixture comes together and is very finely chopped (do not over-process into a paste, you still want each ingredient identifiable). Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Toss cooked pasta with pesto, adding a bit more olive oil if you like to loosen the pesto (or you can save some pasta water and use that to thin the pesto).

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