Cooking up pasta with pesto made from kale, tofu, walnuts and basil makes for an intriguing dish far more gourmet than you can imagine.
If you use whole wheat pasta you are looking at a bowl full of excellent nutrition too.
Easy to put together let it be a weekend special. Meat fans might prefer too add a few pieces of grilled chicken.
Photograph: California Walnuts for Rediff
Kale-Walnut Pesto Penne
Serves: 2-3
Ingredients
- 200 gm walnuts
- 250 gm kale, its thick stalks removed
- 350 gm whole wheat pasta, preferable a penne
- 300 gm pack silken tofu
- 25 gm basil, stems removed
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pod garlic, sliced
- Salt to taste, about 1 tsp
Method
- Place 150 gm walnuts in a bowl and cover with boiled water and keep aside for 15 minutes.
Drain and keep aside. - Meanwhile, cook the kale in a large saucepan of boiling water for 2 minutes.
Then remove the kale from the water with a slotted spoon to a colander and run under cold water, then drain well.
Add the pasta to the kale water and cook for around 11-13 minutes until tender.
Drain, reserving 100-150 ml of the pasta cooking water.
Return the cooked pasta to the pan. - Grind the kale in a food processor to make a kind of kale pesto with the soaked walnuts, tofu, ¾ of the basil leaves, olive oil, garlic, salt and 100 ml reserved pasta water and blitz to a smooth paste, adding a little more of the water if required.
- Stir this kale pesto into the pasta with most of the remaining walnuts, roughly chopped.
Finish by sprinkling the remaining basil leaves and remaining walnuts on top before serving.
Editor's Note: For a richer finish, grind the pesto without the tofu. Instead finish with 100 gm grated cheese, preferaby Parmesan.
Recipe: Kind courtesy California Walnuts
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