Recipe: Fettuccine with Kale Pesto + Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Allow me to state the obvious: This pasta dish not only tastes phenomenal, but it’s RED AND GREEN. Know what else is red and green? Christmas. How convenient.

When I was a youngin’ I was literally irked when the colors red and green were next to each other if the holidays weren’t around the corner. (Same went for orange and black when it wasn’t Halloween-time.) Meaning, my crayons and markers were meticulously organized. They may still be. Also around this age, I gave myself a very dashing pixie cut with paper doll scissors. So now you know.

Thank goodness Christmas is in t-minus five (five!!!) days. I can share this recipe without experiencing agita.

Big thanks to Erin from Gluten-Free Fun for sharing the original kale pesto recipe on the GFB Facebook page (which you should totally check out). I was looking for a light sauce to toss with some fresh gluten free fettuccine from RP's Pasta, and this pesto was perfect. It has a spicy bite from the kale, but doesn’t drown the omg-this-can't-be-gluten-free-but-it-is pasta which you should find at your local Whole Foods immediately.   

Recipe: Kale Pesto

[original recipe from PBS]

Notes

-If you have leftovers, pesto is notorious for freezing really well. Freeze it in an ice cube tray then transfer to a Ziploc bag once frozen.

-Speaking of leftovers, any suggestions for what to do with them aside from pasta? Would love to hear your ideas in the comments!

Ingredients

¼ cup toasted, unsalted almonds

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1-2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

Zest of 1 lemon (about 1 tbsp)

Juice of ½ lemon (about 2 tbsp)

2 cups roughly chopped kale (about 2 big leaves; ribs removed)

1/3 cup olive oil, plus extra if needed

Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

Add almonds, cheese, garlic, lemon zest + juice, and kale to the food processor. Process until ingredients are finely ground. (You may need to push down the kale a few times.)

While the food processor is running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil through the hole in the lid. Process until combined.

Turn off the food processor, scrape down the sides, and taste. Season with salt and pepper, and add additional olive oil (optional) until you reach your desired consistency. Pulse a few more times to combine.

Use immediately, or refrigerate until use.

Recipe: Gluten Free Fettuccine with Kale Pesto + 

Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Notes

-You can substitute sliced, roasted red peppers for the sun-dried tomatoes.

Ingredients

Gluten free fettuccine (I prefer Le Veneziane for dried gluten free fettuccine. If you want to go all out, RP's Pasta makes the most amazing fresh gluten free fettuccine.)

Kale pesto (see recipe above)

Sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced (I like the ones that are packed in oil)

Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Instructions

Cook the fettuccine according to package directions. Before draining, reserve a mug full of the cooking water. Drain the pasta and return it to the hot pot.

To the pasta, add a few tablespoons of the pesto and a slosh of the pasta water. Using tongs, toss the pasta very well until the fettuccine is coated. Add additional pesto and pasta water as needed to create a sauce. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and Parmesan (if using), and toss once more.

Serve warm.