I have an early summer twist on a traditional pesto for you today. Instead of basil, peas and arugula take the starring role. Frozen peas are perfect for this recipe. I find that unless you have access to fresh peas immediately after they have been harvested, they always taste starchy to me. Frozen peas are packaged immediately after harvesting and that fresh verdant pop is preserved.

Peas are quite sweet, so the addition of arugula, which is peppery and slightly bitter, is a really nice contrast. Pine nuts are traditional in pesto, but I love the richness and colour you get from pistachios.

The pesto comes together while the pasta is cooking. I love spaghetti for this pesto, but a short tubular shape would also be great, like penne or rigatoni. An extra sprinkling of cheese is not optional, in my opinion, but I’ll leave that up to you. For the photos , I garnished mine with some green pea and purple radish shoots that I found at Produce Depot (Ottawa) this week. I also reserved some of the blanched frozen peas and chopped pistachios to sprinkle on top. I like garnishes that tell a story of what the dish contains.