As the summer comes to a close, it’s time for my final Grow Your Own update in partnership with Wyevale Garden Centres.
In my first post, I shared our adventures in sowing seeds, potting up and early seedling care. In my second post, I gave an update on the progress of our tomatoes and basil, and how much we were enjoying eating a meal made from produce we’d grown ourselves.
Today, I’m excited to share how our strawberries, peas and mint progressed, and I also have a recipe that we made with our produce (topped up with some supplies from the local grocer – well this is our first year of growing!)
So first up, I’m pleased to say that our strawberries got off to a great start, and we managed to keep the birds away from the fruit long enough to enjoy our first harvest.
We only had a few fruit this year, but they were absolutely delicious; a world away from the chilled, imported strawberries we’re all used to finding in the supermarkets. The plants should produce a bigger crop next year, and they will also create new plants which we can pot up to increase our strawberry patch. I can’t wait!
Our pea plants were very popular with the local snail and slug population. We used copper tape around the pots to deter them, but the plants took a while to recover and we had a rather small yield from them, but we’ve learned a lot for next time. Still, the low yield was a great excuse to eat our crop straight from the pod – sweet and delicious! Growing peas was great fun and we’ll definitely give it another go next year.
Our mint plant has really thrived, with very little intervention from us. I’m loving fresh mint tea, and of course it’s perfect in Pimms.
One dish borne from our growing adventures was this pea and mint pesto pasta. It’s delicately minty, with pine nuts and almonds bringing texture, parmesan bringing salt cheesiness, and fresh garlic and lemon giving a satisfying kick.
Here’s how to make it.
Ingredients
- 350g (12.5 oz) rigatoni
- 45g (1.5 oz) pine nuts
- 45g (1.5 oz) blanched almonds
- 2 large garlic cloves
- 50g (2 oz) parmesan (I used a vegetarian hard cheese equivalent)
- Handful of mint leaves
- 150ml (5 floz) olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Up to 65ml (2 floz) water from the pasta pot
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
Put the pasta on to cook in plenty of boiling, salted water. It’ll take about 10 minutes to cook, which gives you time to prepare the pesto.
Put the pine nuts, almonds, garlic cloves, parmesan, three quarters of the mint leaves and olive oil into the bowl of your food processor.
Blitz until coarse.
Add the lemon juice and a splash (up to 50ml/1.76floz) of hot water borrowed from the pasta pan) and blitz again.
Taste and add more mint leaves as required.
Blitz again and finally season to taste.
Drain the rigatoni and serve into a large bowl. Top with the pesto.
And the peas.
Mix and enjoy!
It’s super yummy, I promise! Are you tempted to try this recipe?
Here’s a printable version of this tasty pea and mint pesto pasta recipe – just hit the PRINT button on the recipe card below.
Pea and mint pesto rigatoni
Ingredients
- 350 g dried rigatoni
- 45 g pine nuts
- 45 g blanched almonds
- 2 large garlic cloves
- 50 g parmesan I used a vegetarian hard cheese equivalent
- Handful of mint leaves
- 150 ml olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Up to 65ml/2.19floz water from the pasta pot
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Put the pasta on to cook in plenty of boiling, salted water. It'll take about 10 minutes to cook, which gives you time to prepare the pesto.
- Put the pine nuts, almonds, garlic cloves, parmesan, three quarters of the mint leaves and olive oil into the bowl of your food processor.
- Blitz until coarse.
- Add the lemon juice and a splash (up to 50ml/1.69floz) of hot water borrowed from the pasta pan) and blitz again.
- Taste and add more mint leaves as required.
- Blitz again and finally season to taste.
- Drain the rigatoni and serve into a large bowl. Top with the pesto.
- And the peas.
- Mix and enjoy!
- It's super yummy, I promise!
Growing our own food has been such a rewarding experience. It’s provided fun family time, taught us some new skills, and given us super-fresh, wonderfully tasty produce. And seeing all that lovely food growing just outside the back door has also been a real source of recipe inspiration to me. I think I’ve caught the grow-you-own bug!
PIN ME
For more ideas and inspiration for your next pasta dish, visit my pasta meals recipe index!
This is a commissioned post for Wyevale Garden Centres.
tracy sinclair says
I would love to grow all different kinds of herbs, so I can use them more in my cooking x
sharon martin says
i”d like to grow raspberries as they are my favourite fruit
Adrian Bold says
I’d most like to grow carrots and peas.
Jodie W says
I rented a raised bed in my village allotment this year. My favourite thing to grow was courgettes as they are so easy and produce lots. However the tastiest thing ive grown have been my sweetcorn
darren matthews says
I would love to grow my own herbs and vegetables.
Jessica says
Strawberries – my son can’t get enough of them and some herbs so fresh ones are on hand when cooking
Deborah Mackenzie says
I would love to try and make a herb garden; I particularly love mint with lamb and it tastes so good when it is fresh.
SUSAN L HALL says
i only have a patio garden but would love to grow a selection of herbs as love fresh herbs
Derek Wilson says
Baby cherry tomatoes – so sweet!
Pauline Dring says
Courgettes, our crop failed this year
Sue Price says
Tomatoes, peppers & peas I would choose to grow
rebecca austin says
strawberries and tomatoes
Sheila Reeves says
I’d love to grow some spinach, and some carrots
Sheila Shepheard says
I’d like to grow raspberries – they are so expensive to buy and my family loves them so.
Maxine Feehely says
Carrots are so much sweeter freshly picked
Emma Walton says
I would love to have a go at growing some cauliflowers. They look a little difficult but I would like to try anyway.
Martina Alban says
herbs – I had my garden redesigned this summer and have a great spot now to grow my own herbs and vegetables
frances hopkins says
I’d love to grow raspberries
Maureen M says
Love to grow some soft fruits.
Lorraine Stone says
I would love to have some gooseberry bushes and grow some rhubarb too.
Kimberley Ryan says
an assortment of peppers, chillis and herbs
Sheri Darby says
A nice little herb garden
Nancy Bradford says
I quite like the idea of growing some of my own food. We eat potatoes and tomatoes in some form nearly every day so I’d like to grow those.
Michaela Hannah says
I would love to grow our own carrots. We eat a lot so it would be a real treat
Francesca Jones says
I want to grow strawberries and also herbs
sallyann johnston says
I would love to grow some different varieties of peppers
Leanne Bell says
I would love a well stocked herb garden to include mint, coriander and rosemary and would love to have a go at growing new potatoes and carrots.
Judith Allen says
Some perennial herbs, we don’t have any in this garden. Rosemary, sage and lavender to start with. We had lots at our old house, and the dog used to like to rub up against them. He liked to smell nice. Well, that thought made us smile anyway.
Caroline Hunter says
I’d grow tomatoes, peppers, chillis, onions and runner beans.
Kelly Ellen Hirst says
I’d most love to grow some chillies to add some zing to my meals
Linda king says
Brilliant prize just right size for my garden
Christine Lockley says
I’d love a herb garden
Kat Glynn says
We have tried growing most vegetables in our garden, but I would really like to try growing mushrooms next :)
AMY fidler says
beetroot and garlic x
michelle o'neill says
lettuces and tomatoes
Kim Neville says
Broccoli and green beans
Susie Wilkinson says
I think I’d like to have a go a growing carrots, we eat loads, both raw and cooked!
claire woods says
I saw a lime tree yesterday at a garden centre. I’d love to try growing those.
Anthea Holloway says
I would love to grow some carrots and parsnips.
Karl Borowy says
TOMATOES AND HERBS GARDEN
Aaron Broad says
I would love to start growing some vegetables if possible
Katie says
I’d like to grow my own potatoes
Ruth Harwood says
I’d love to grow my own little herb garden – I don’t have much space and I love experimenting with herbs in recipes xx
Samantha O'D says
We have only ever mastered growing peas, I would like to grow tomatoes
Charlie @ The Kitchen Shed says
How much pasta did you use for this recipe? I might be being dim, but I couldnt see it. I would love to grow courgettes in my garden. They grow so well! The pesto pasta looks delicious!
Emily Leary says
Whoops! Thanks for spotting that! About 350g of dried rigatoni (I’ve updated the recipe) but you get quite a generous portion of pesto so you could go up a little and still get a decent coating.
Laura Pritchard says
A blueberry bush as my kids eat so many!
Chrissie Curtis says
There is s much I would love to grow! but especially carrots as we eat so many.
theresa cooke says
I would love to grow Figs. They are in the shops only a short while but I love cooking or just eating them.
maria blythin says
i would like to grow spuds x
Char Keddy says
Would love to grow some tomatoes and peas – both taste so yummy straight off the vine! xx
Donata says
Gherkins. I tried growing them this year but only had 2 or 3 small gherkins. I want to try again next year. I love gherkins pickled in brine.
Sharon Lou Johnson says
tomatoes and mushrooms x
Angela McDonald says
I’d love to grow some Snowdrops!
I’d also like to grow some herbs like mint and coriander to use in cooking
Sarah Parkin says
Peppers would be great to grow – I’m always running out!
Jane Brown says
Tomatoes as we eat a lot of them!
lynn savage says
i would like a herb garden so that I always have fresh herbs to hand.
maureen moss says
some really sweet strawberries
Peter Watson says
I’d like to grow root vegetables,especially parsnips-I love them roasted and glazed with honey
Suzanne Drummond says
fingers crossed this would be great to help kick start our garden makeover
iain maciver says
I would love to start growing potatoes again
Joanne Beale says
Love to grow both vegetables and flowers in my garden so to win would bring me great pleasure
sandi green says
I’d love to grow coriander, I keep trying but it just dies on me.
Tracey Mitchell says
I love growing fruit and making scrummy jam and puds so probably buy an apple tree.
Tania Atfield says
Pumpkins for next years halloween for my kids
Janet Humphrey says
always wanted to grow my own peppers and chillis, but not the super hot ones.
Victoria Prince says
This looks so scrummy, definitely one I want to try :) I would most love to grow peas, tomatoes and beetroot (sorry – can’t pick just one, had trouble narrowing it down to three :D). Nothing better than eating peas straight out of the pod that have been picked just seconds before
Carrie Talbot-Ashby says
I would love to grow Potatoes, carrots and beetroot. Simple tasty foods we use a lot of the time! I have no real garden to speak of though sadly, but I suppose I could grow a potato or two in a window box? lol After a few years might have enough for a meal! :-D x
Fiona Martin says
I’d love to grow tomatoes, courgettes and fresh basil.
Spencer Broadley says
I really want to get a good herb garden / kitchen pots going
Sharon H says
I’d like to try growing mushrooms, they are pretty much the only veg that dad does not grow.
A says
I’d most like to grow carrots, radishes and peas.
Margaret GALLAGHER says
Cucumbers and melons
I’ve heard they are fabulous when home grown
Monica Gilbert says
I’d like to try to grow rosemary and mint. I love eating both, and it would really add to my cooking.
Danielle Spencer says
I’m looking for grow our rabbit’s their greens, starting off with herbs such as mint, dill and parsley.
Helen Thurston says
I’d love to grow a selection of fruit and veg – maybe some of the older heritage varieties – oh, and rhubarb :)
Jodie Cook says
I would like to grow peas – they are so yummy straight out the pods!
Hayley F says
I would like to grow some broccoli through the winter x
Cathy Glynn says
I would love to grow some fruit, possibly raspberries and I would love a plum tree x
Gemma Holland says
Strawberries & raspberries. It would save me a lot of money as my two love them!
Jackie Allum says
More sugar snap peas as this year they were simply amazing. I have ordered some different things from China, like purple potatoes and blue strawberries but sugar snap peas were fabulous this year so I’d love to grow more of those.
cheryl hadfield says
I would love to grow my own vegetables to be more self sufficient
Julie Kenny says
I love growing tomatoes as my dad use to grow them and the scent reminds me of my childhood and happy days spent in the greenhouse x
Tracy Nixon says
I would love to grow lots of different tomato varieties!
Sim @ SimsLife.co.uk says
That looks absolutely divine! I was surprised at how much my strawberry plants had multiplied the second year – be prepared to make jam next year! Would love to attempt to grow my own peas next year – nothing better than popping them from the pod! Sim x
emma walters says
we love our little veggie patch and sweetcorn is the best thing to eat fresh :)
Mary Baldwin says
I would love to grow spinach – I use loads both raw in salad and cooked, but if you buy it from a shop it goes off really quickly so growing our own would be ideal.