How To Make Black Kale Pesto…. Like My Italian Grandma!

Serves: 6 people

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 3 minutes

Total time: 15 minutes

Dietary: Vegetarian

Meal type: Sauce - Dressing

Region: Italy

Allergens: Nuts

What you need (Ingredients):

• 70 – 100 g black kale leaves
• 25 g mixed dried fruit (almonds, pine nuts, nuts)
• 20 g of black kale cooking water
• 20 g of extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ of garlic cloves (optional)
• a pinch of chili powder
• Cooking salt to taste

What do you do (Directions):

1. Wash the black kale leaves and remove the central and hard coastline.
2. Boil them in few hot water for about 3 minutes (or in a pressure cooker for one minute).
3. Drain and hold the cooking water.
4. In a mortar or mixer put the leaves of cabbage, dried fruit, garlic, chili pepper, salt and little cooking water. Pour or chop, if necessary add oil and / or other cooking water as needed to get a soft and creamy consistency.

You can use this sauce on pasta or as a dressing for salads!

With pasta..:

Boil the pasta in  salted water, drain it “al dente” and season with  black kale pesto  diluted with little cooking water. Add 1 tablespoon of parmesan cheese and / or pecorino for dinner (for vegans: a powdered yeast).
Stir and serve.

How to preserve it  (Directions):

Place the black kale pesto in hermetic containers and sprinkle the surface with an extra virgin olive oil wire to avoid mold formation and oxidation. You can store it in the refrigerator for one week. In the  freezer it lasts up to  six months.

Did you know…

• Pesto is original from Liguria, a northern region of Italy, and its main ingredient in the original recipe basil