The Briny Lemon: Pasta with Kale-and-Roasted-Garlic Pesto

In my opinion, pesto is the tastiest non-cooked pasta sauce on the planet. I usually make the wonderfully floral, traditional basil pesto, but for this recipe I wanted earthy, savory, and oh so healthful. Kale, garlic, nuts, whole-wheat pasta—this is one flavor-packed bowl of easy, simple nutrition. (The Parmesan cheese won’t hurt a bit.)

Also check out Linguine with Basil Pesto, Linguine with Garlic Shrimp in Parsley-Pecan Pesto, and Linguine with Dried-Tomato Pesto.

Serves 4

Ingredients

3 large, unpeeled garlic cloves
olive oil, for drizzling, plus 1/3 cup
sea salt
3 cups (packed) chopped kale
1/4 cup toasted walnuts
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
8 oz whole-wheat rotini

Pesto Ingredients

Preparation

Preheat a toaster oven to 375° F.
Place the garlic cloves on a small piece of aluminum foil and fold the edges up to form a square packet. Drizzle the cloves with a little oil and sprinkle with salt. Fold over the edges of the foil, sealing tightly.
Set the packet on a small, shallow baking pan and roast until the garlic is very tender, 25 minutes. Remove from the oven, carefully open the packet, and let cool. Snip off one end and squeeze the pulp from the skin.

Garlic Ready to Roast

Roasted Garlic

Squeeze the Pulp from the Skin

Place the kale, walnuts, lemon juice, and garlic pulp in a food processor. Season with salt and pepper and grind until the ingredients are finely chopped.
With the motor running, slowly pour in 1/3 cup olive oil.
Scrape down the sides of the processor bowl and process until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the cheese.
Cook the pasta in boiling, salted water until al dente, 9 minutes. Drain and return to the pot. Stir in the pesto and drizzle with more olive oil, combining well.