Time 30 minutes

Serving 4

Pasta

• ⅓ cup/75 milliliters olive oil
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 medium green serrano chile, stemmed and halved lengthwise
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
• 2 (15.5-ounce/400-gram) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 cups (about 9 ounces/250 grams) short, twirled pasta, preferably gemelli or trofie pasta
• 3 cups/700 milliliters chicken or vegetable stock
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• ¼ cup/60 milliliters lemon juice (from 2 lemons)
• 1 block halloumi (around 7 ounces/200 grams), very finely grated

Pesto

• Heaping ⅓ cup/50 grams pine nuts, well toasted
• 2 small garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 3 lightly packed cups (about 2 ounces/60 grams) arugula (rocket), roughly chopped
• ½ cup/20 grams roughly chopped parsley (leaves and tender stems only)
• ⅓ cup/90 milliliters olive oil, plus more as needed
• Kosher salt and black pepper

Step 1
Prepare the pasta: Add the oil to a large, lidded sauté pan, and then place it over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the garlic and chile, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often, until the garlic is nicely golden. Stir in the thyme, beans, pasta, stock, 2 teaspoons salt and plenty of pepper, and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat to medium, cover, and cook for 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit, with the lid off, for about 5 to 10 minutes. This will help it absorb more of the liquid.

Step 2
As the pasta cooks, make the pesto: To a food processor, add the nuts, garlic, arugula (rocket), parsley, half the oil, ½ teaspoon salt and a good grind of pepper. Pulse a few times, scraping down the sides and pulsing again until you have a coarse paste. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the remaining olive oil, adding a touch extra if needed to loosen the pesto.

Step 3
When ready to serve, stir the lemon juice and half the pesto into the pasta (discard the chile, if you wish) and transfer to a large serving bowl or platter with a lip. Sprinkle over about half the halloumi, and serve with the extra halloumi and pesto to eat alongside.