Olive & Walnut Spelt Pasta

Olive & Walnut Pesto with Spelt Pasta

A rustic, nutty twist on a classic pesto, using Olives Et Al olives and Sharpham Park British Organic Walnuts for a rich, earthy depth of flavour.

We recently welcomed our friends Giles, Lewis & Maddie from Olives Et Al to Sharpham Park for our annual Walnut Harvest here in Somerset. Watching the trees shake and the nuts fall never loses its magic - it’s the moment a year’s work comes to fruition.

In true Olives Et Al spirit, they couldn’t resist creating something special from the day’s bounty. Using our Sharpham Park British Organic Walnuts and their wonderfully rich olives, they crafted a simple yet exceptional Olive & Walnut Pesto - nutty, herby and full of flavour.

It was a delicious reminder of why collaborations like this matter: good ingredients, grown with care, brought together to create something greater than the sum of their parts.

Below is a sneak peek of the amazing limited edition Olives Et Al x Sharpham Park collab! Watch their cracking video squirrelling about with our nuts here and our joint video from the walnut harvest day here. Would you buy these products? If so, message us on social media or email us and let us know info@sharphampark.com. P.S. Lewis’s (Olives Et Al) secret recipe is under lock and key - but this one’s a pretty tasty second!

Ingredients (Serves 4)

For the pesto:

100g Olives Et Al olives, pitted (Kalamata or Lemon & Rosemary work beautifully)
75g Sharpham Park British Organic Walnuts, lightly toasted
1 small clove garlic, crushed
25g fresh basil leaves
25g flat-leaf parsley
50g Parmesan or vegan hard cheese, grated
100ml Olives Et Al extra virgin olive oil (plus more to loosen)
1–2 tsp lemon juice, to taste
Sea salt & cracked black pepper

For the pasta:

350g spelt pasta (fusilli, penne, or tagliatelle)
A drizzle of olive oil
Optional: a handful of rocket or baby spinach to serve

Read on for method and serving suggestions...

Method

Toast the walnuts:
Gently toast the Sharpham Park walnuts in a dry frying pan over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until fragrant. Set aside to cool slightly.
Make the pesto:
In a food processor, combine the olives, toasted walnuts, garlic, basil, parsley, and cheese.
Pulse until roughly blended, then slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the mixture forms a smooth but textured paste.
Add lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste. Adjust consistency with a little extra oil if needed.
Cook the pasta:
Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the Sharpham Park spelt pasta according to the packet instructions until al dente.
Reserve a small cup of cooking water, then drain.
Combine:
Return the pasta to the pan, stir through the pesto, and loosen with a splash of the reserved pasta water until glossy and well coated.
Serve:
Pile into bowls, top with extra chopped walnuts, a drizzle of olive oil, and a few rocket leaves. Finish with a dusting of Parmesan.

Serving suggestion:

Pair with a glass of crisp white wine or sparkling kombucha. The earthy, nutty pesto clings beautifully to the spelt pasta, making it a wholesome and deeply satisfying dish that celebrates British-grown ingredients at their best.