Ingredients
800 g mixed carrots
4 garlic cloves - gently crushed to release flavours
2 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon agave syrup
1 tin of white beans - keep the liquid
60 g tahini (sesame paste)
1/2 bunch basil - leaves only
zest & juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons zaa’tar
For the Green Basil Pesto
1.5 bunch basil
50 ml olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice or more to taste
4 roasted garlic cloves (from the roasted carrots)
1/4 teaspoon salt
juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
Directions
Pre-heat the oven to 220°C degrees.
1. Clean the carrots and peel only if not organic. Slice them lengthwise in half. In a bowl, marinate the carrots with 4 gently crushed whole garlic cloves, oil, salt, pepper, and agave.
2. Transfer to a tray lined with baking paper and bake for 20 minutes or until soft & golden.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the white bean purée. Transfer the tin of beans with their liquid to a food processor or blender. Add the remaining ingredients: lemon juice and zest, tahini, basil leaves, salt, and zaa’atar. Blend until smooth and adjust the salt and lemon juice to taste.
4. Using a small blending jar, gently blitz all the ingredients for the pesto. You want to keep some texture to the pesto.
5. To serve, spread the bean purée onto a serving dish and smooth with the back of a spoon. Top with the roasted carrots, drizzle with a little lemon juice, sprinkle with flaky salt, and finish with a generous amount of pesto.