Kale Walnut Pesto Pasta
(recipe slightly adapted from Rachael Ray Magazine)
Serves 4
- 1/2 bunch kale, stems discarded and leaves coarsely chopped (I didn't chop mine)
- 1 pound pasta (I used Rotelli)
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted, plus more for sprinkling
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for sprinkling
- 1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
In a large pot of salted water, cook the kale until tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the kale to a colander and rinse with cold water. Add the pasta to the pot and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/3 cup of the pasta cooking water. Return the pasta to the pot.
Meanwhile, squeeze the kale to remove the excess water. In a food processor, combine the kale, walnuts, garlic and parmesan until almost smooth; season with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice. With the machine running, add the olive oil.
Add the pesto to the pasta, along with enough pasta cooking water to loosen the pesto as necessary. Serve sprinkled with more parmesan and serve with extra toasted walnuts.
Notes***
-You might wanna add a little bit of fresh lemon juice to perk up your leftovers!
-You could eat it cold as a pasta salad with some tomatoes & feta cheese sprinkled in!
