Kale Pesto with Spaghettini Vongole

By MiNDFOOD

Kale Pesto with Spaghettini Vongole
RECIPE: Kale Pesto with Spaghetini Vongole. Brought to you by MiNDFOOD.

Formerly a staple dietary ingredient in Britain in the Middle Ages, kale is making a comeback. Use it in pesto instead of basil as a tasty and nutritious green substitute in this classic spaghettini vongole.

Serves 4

Kale pesto

1 bunch kale (about 12 leaves), trimmed and chopped

¼ cup toasted pine nuts

¼ cup olive oil

zest and juice of 1 lemon

2 garlic cloves, chopped

½ tsp salt

½ tsp sugar

Spaghettini

3 tbsp olive oil

1 cup fresh breadcrumbs

½ tsp chilli flakes

¼ cup parmesan, finely grated

400g spaghettini

1kg cockles, desanded

To make pesto, blanch kale in a large pot of salted boiling water and refresh in a bowl of ice water. Remove kale and let drain on paper towels.

Place kale, pine nuts, olive oil, lemon zest and juice, garlic, salt, and sugar in a food processor and pulse until a coarse paste forms. Season with freshly ground black pepper. Set aside.

For spaghettini, heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs, chilli flakes, and parmesan and cook, stirring, for 5-7 minutes, or until golden. Set aside.

Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water for 8-10 minutes, or until al dente. Drain and set aside, reserving ¼ cup of pasta water. Pour water back into the pot and bring to the boil. Add cockles and cook, covered, for 2-3 minutes, or until all cockles open (discard any unopened cockles). Add kale pesto and pasta back into the pot and toss to coat. Divide among 4 bowls and sprinkle over breadcrumb mixture.

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