Pappardelle with Kale Pesto
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 1 bunch kale, coarsely chopped
  • Packaged pappardelle, or other wide noodles if vegan*
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • ¼ cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • Juice and zest of ½ medium lemon
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • Fresh black pepper, to taste
  • Pinch red pepper flakes
  • ½ teaspoon sugar (optional)
Instructions
  1. Boil a large pot of water and set a bowl of ice water to the side. Blanch the kale by dropping it into the boiling water, removing it after a few seconds, and dunking it into the ice bath. Drain and lay on towels until mostly dry.
  2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions. Reserve some pasta water before draining.
  3. In a food processor, process the blanched kale, garlic, half of the pine nuts (reserve half for garnish later), olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt. Add some water or more oil if you need more liquid to get your food processor moving. Taste and adjust seasonings. I added a pinch of sugar to help mellow the bitterness of the kale and the tartness of the lemon.
  4. Toss the cooked pasta and a few spoonfuls of the pesto in a bowl with a splash of pasta water. This recipe makes extra pesto, so use as much or little as you wish on your pasta.
  5. Garnish with the remaining pine nuts and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Notes
*This recipe makes enough pesto to serve 6. I made the full batch of pesto but only cooked enough pasta for 2. Make more or less pasta depending on how many people you’re serving.
Recipe by Love and Lemons at https://www.loveandlemons.com/?p=1374