Pasta with potato, beans and pesto

600 g small new potatoes, halved or quartered
250 g broccoli, cut into small florets
½ cup (90 g) shelled broad beans, peeled if preferred, 350–400 g in pods
175 g fine green beans, topped and tailed
2 zucchini, cut into bite–sized chunks
300 g tubular or hollow pasta shapes, such as casarecce (slim rolled lengths), gemelli (narrow spirals), orecchiette (little ears) or gnocchi (fluted shells)
sprigs of fresh basil to garnish
Tomato pesto
4–5 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons pine nuts
100 g fresh basil leaves
½ cup (50 g) freshly grated parmesan
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 ripe tomatoes, diced
salt

Preparation

Cook the potatoes in boiling water for about 15 minutes or until they are tender, but not soft.
Add the broccoli, broad beans, green beans and zucchini, and simmer all together for a further 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling water for 10–12 minutes, or according to the packet instructions, until al dente.
Make the pesto while the vegetables and pasta are cooking.
Pound the garlic with a pinch of salt and the pine nuts in a mortar using a pestle.
Add the basil and continue pounding until the ingredients form a green paste, then work in the parmesan and oil.
Finally, work in the tomatoes.
Alternatively, the pesto can be made in a food processor or blender: put all the ingredients, except the oil, in the container and whiz to a paste, then gradually add the oil through the feed tube with the motor running.
Drain the pasta and vegetables and toss both together.
Top with the pesto, garnish with sprigs of basil, scattering them over the top, and serve immediately.

Serves 4

Preparation: 10 minutes

Cooking: about 20 minutes