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Spaghetti with Spicy Kale Pesto | mylittlelarder.com

Spaghetti with Spicy Kale Pesto

Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 18 minutes
Servings 4
Author My Little Larder

Ingredients

Pesto

  • 1/2 cup pine nuts
  • 4 cups lightly packed baby kale or regular kale with stems removed
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • juice 1 lemon
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup 30g, 1 oz parmesan cheese, grated plus extra for serving
  • 1/4-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes optional
  • sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Pasta

  • 400 g approx 1lb pasta, spaghetti or linguine
  • 1 cup pasta cooking water

Instructions

  1. Oven 160C (325F) spread pine nuts baking sheet, bake 8-10 min stirring frequently to prevent burning. Let cool.
  2. While nuts are cooling, bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add pasta and cook according to the directions on the packet (approx 8 mins for spaghetti).
  3. While the pasta is cooking, in a food processor or blender blend together the first 8 ingredients. Blend until almost smooth or desired consistency.
  4. When the pasta is cooked, reserve 1 cup of the cooking water then drain the pasta.
  5. Mix together, pasta pesto and 1 cup reserved pasta cooking water. Serve immediately with grated parmesan cheese.

Recipe Notes

The recipe yields 1 cup of pesto and will keep in the fridge for up to a week.
This recipe serves 4 people however if you are cooking for less people remember 100g (3.5oz) dried pasta per person with 1/4 cup pesto and 1/4 cup pasta cooking water.
Pasta should be cooked 'al dante' which means the outside is tender and the inside of the pasta is slightly firm.