A few years ago (well, actually about 10!), Runner’s World SA featured this recipe by Graeme Shapiro (owner and chef at Wild Poppy Cafe Fremantle in Perth, Australia). We’ve since made it more times than I care to remember and it never fails to please all your taste buds. And if you don’t have all the ingredients, fear not, as I’ve tried various combinations of more or less the same ingredients, leave out some, add other – you’re bound to still have a winner.
The Runner’s Paste
- 1 box (500g) fusilli or fresh taglierini pasta
- 1 packet (250g) basil pesto or olive tapenade
- 1 jar (200g) artichoke hearts
- 150g calamata olives (stones removed)
- 150g roasted pepers
- 2 handfuls (30g) fresh basil – torn into pieces
- 100g pine nuts (or slithered almonds) – toasted (pop under the oven grill for a few minutes)
- 100g sun-dried tomatoes (preferably marinated) – finely sliced
- 250g cooked bacon – dice into pieces (smoked salmon/smoked chicken breast/tuna are other great options)
- 200g goats cheese or feta – crumbled into pieces
Method
Place the cooked pasta into a large bowl, add the pesto and toss through to coat the pasta. Add the rest of the ingredients. If you are serving the pasta warm, add the cheese last just before serving. Garnish with fresh basil or parmesan/pecorino shavings.
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