Couve Bruxelas pesto( Brussels sprout pesto)

You love ´em or you hate ´em. I just love these barbie sized brassicas and consequently end up buying far too many of them.A little goes along way with a sprout,I have to say.
Even if the Festive period is over, the noble-blooded brussels sprout is still available in the market. I'm convinced the smaller the tastier, so I always prefer to buy the very tiny ones. The maddest left-over idea of making pesto with them came to me I know not how. It was quite obvious to me however to give it a try even if I wasn´t believing something wonderful and fresh would come out of it.Surprise surprise!!! The pesto itself was absolutely gorgeous! It's so easy to make and as soon as I tasted it I knew how I was going to apply it, a creamy pasta dish with crispy bacon. Pesto need not be a summer thing.

Tagliatelle with brussels sprouts pesto and crispy bacon
Guaranteed to turn many a sprout hater into a sprout lover. Lure them in first with the promise of the cream and the crispy bacon

FOR THE PESTO
250g Brussels sprouts
50g Parmesan cheese,grated
25g blanched almonds
Extra virgin olive oil
tsp Flor de sal
Blanch the sprouts in boiling water for  3 minutes.remove and run under  cold water.
Cut the sprouts in half dig out the stalks and the halve each piece again.
Put all the ingredients in the processor until you achieve a thick and creamy consistency,adding more oil as you require.Set aside in a glass jar until you are ready to use.You will have more than enough pesto for at least four portions of tagliatelle.

100g Tagliatelle per person
100g Bacon or pancetta diced
1/2 red onion chopped
spoonful creme fraiche
extra parmesan cheese for topping
parsley for garnish
Fry the panncetta in some butter and oil until crispy,introduce the chopped onion and continue cooking until the onion is golden.While the onion is cooking,boil enough  Tagliatelle for the number of portions you require, according to instructions.Drain the pasta leaving alittle bit wet and return to the pan,toss through the Brussels sprouts pesto and thin with creme fraiche.Toss in the bacon and onion and mix thoroughly before serving.Garnish with extra parmesan and parsley.

Packing a healthy sandwich that’s also exciting to eat isn’t always easy. It’s not rocket salad (we know peanut butter, celery and cream cheese is a doddle ), but the minute you add Brussels sprout pesto, sliced ham or homemade condiments to a sandwich, lunch can get infinitely more appealing.