Pasta with Basil & Cashew Pesto

Ingredients:
For Pesto

1. Fresh Basil leaves - 1 cup
2. Olive oil - 3 tbsp
3. Parmesan Cheese grated - 1 tbsp
4. Garlic - 2 cloves
5. Cashew nuts - 4 

For Pasta

1. Chicken breast or thighs thinly sliced - 1 breast or 2 thighs
2. red pepper flakes - 1 tsp
3. crushed garlic - 5 cloves
4. fresh cream - 3 tbsp (optional)
5. bell pepper - few slices (optional)
6. Parmesan cheese - 1 tsp
7. Olive Oil - 1 tbsp
8. dried Oregano - 1 tsp
9. dry basil - 1 tsp
10. Pasta - 3 cups cooked 

Method:

Cook Pasta in salted water , drain and keep aside.
To prepare pesto - Add the  basil, garlic, Parmesan, Cashewnuts and Olive oil  in a food processor / blender jar and blend until mixture is smooth and creamy. (About a minute)

Heat Olive oil and add the crushed garlic and red pepper flakes and saute for a minute . Add in chicken slices and stirfry on high , add salt to taste .cook until chicken turns white .Add in sliced peppers and the cooked and drained pasta to the chicken mix  .Add dried basil & oregano and mix well.

Add the pesto and 3 tbsp fresh cream and mix until all the pasta is coated with the sauce .Serve hot sprinkled with Parmesan.