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Caesar-Style Kale Pesto Pasta

Serves 4

Rach says Caesar-style Tuscan kale pesto is "a super food wrapped around spaghetti!"

Ingredients

  • 1 head garlic
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), plus additional for drizzling
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 pound spaghetti
  • 1 bunch kale, thick stems removed and discarded, leaves shredded
  • 1/3 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese (a generous handful), plus more for serving
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 3 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted

Directions

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 400ºF.
  2. Cut the end off the garlic bulb, exposing the tops of the cloves. Place on a piece of foil; drizzle with EVOO, salt and pepper. Wrap the garlic up in the foil and roast for 45-50 minutes. Let cool, then squish out the garlic cloves from the skins into a food processor.
  3. While the garlic is roasting, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt it, add the spaghetti and cook to al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the starchy cooking water.
  4. Bring another large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and the kale and cook for about a minute; drain and squeeze dry.
  5. Add the kale, cheese, lemon juice, mustard, anchovy paste and Worcestershire sauce into a food processor with the garlic cloves and puree. Season with pepper. Add the pine nuts and about 1/4 cup EVOO. Process, streaming in additional EVOO to form a thick pesto; season with salt.
  6. In a pasta bowl, combine the pasta, pesto and reserved pasta cooking water; toss to combine. Serve with more cheese at the table.