Winter Pasta Kale Pesto Recipes

PASTA WITH KALE PESTO AND ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Use a vegetable peeler to peel squash, then halve it lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Dice squash flesh into 1-inch pieces, place on a baking sheet, and toss with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Spread pieces into an even layer, making sure there is space between them. Roast, stirring squash pieces once or twice, until golden brown and tender, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; have ready a bowl of ice water. Drop kale into boiling water and cook for 45 seconds. Use tongs or slotted spoon to transfer kale to ice water. Bring water in pot back to a boil, adding more if necessary so there is enough to cook pasta.
• Drain kale well, then wrap tightly in a dry kitchen towel and squeeze thoroughly to remove any excess moisture. Roughly chop leaves. When water in pot comes back to a boil, cook pasta according to package directions.
• In a food processor, pulse together kale, nuts, garlic, salt and lemon zest until mixture is smooth and salt has dissolved. With motor running, slowly drizzle in the oil until fully incorporated. Taste and add more salt dissolved in a little lemon juice, if necessary.
• Drain pasta, reserving a little cooking water. Toss pasta with kale pesto and some pasta cooking water if necessary to help it coat pasta. Add cheese, lemon juice and salt to taste. Serve topped with squash and more cheese.

VEGAN KALE PESTO PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a pan of water to the boil. Cook the kale for 30 secs, drain and transfer to a bowl of ice-cold water for 5 mins. Drain again and pat dry with kitchen paper.
• Put the basil, garlic, seeds, oil, nutritional yeast, lemon juice and zest, and drained kale in a food processor. Blitz until smooth, then season. Loosen with a splash of water, if it's too thick.
• Cook the pasta following pack instructions, then toss with the pesto and serve.

CREAMY PESTO & KALE PASTA

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Fry the onions for 10 mins until softened and beginning to caramelise. Add the kale and 100ml water, then cover and cook for 5 mins more, or until the kale has wilted.
• Cook the pasta following pack instructions. Drain, reserving a little of the cooking water. Toss the pasta with the onion mixture, cream cheese and pesto, adding a splash of the reserved cooking water to loosen, if needed. Season.

WINTER PASTA (KALE PESTO)

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the boiling water generously, and add the garlic and shallots. Boil for 2-3 minutes, stir in the kale and cook for another ten seconds. Don't overcook. Working quickly, use a slotted spoon or strainer to fish the greens, garlic, and shallots from the water. Use a food processor to puree the ingredients along with the olive oil and goat cheese. Add a couple tablespoons of hot pasta water if needed to thin things out if needed. Then season with a touch of salt and plenty of black pepper. Taste. Depending on your goat cheese, you might need a little extra acidic oomph if your sauce is a bit flat. If so, add fresh lemon juice a bit at a time until you're happy with it the sauce. Set aside. Reheat the pot of water and boil the pasta per package instructions. Drain and toss immediately with the green sauce. Serve topped with a few pinches of fresh thyme, and more crumbled goat cheese.