FUSILLI PASTA with CURLY KALE PESTO      

                                                                                        

So few ingredients used and yet so big on taste! We love curly kale which is high in fibre, rich in vitamins, magnesium and folate and great for digestion too.   This dish serves  4 people.

This simple and refreshing light tasting pasta dish is great for Spring and uses curly kale which is still in season and is not only great value for money but so versatile for so many recipes! 

Ingredients:

300g dry fusilli pasta (or other shaped pasta)

Approximately 100g curly kale leaves trimmed off the stems

(chop the stems into small pieces and add to a soup or stir-fry recipe)

20g strong nutty Lincolnshire Poacher cheese, grated

 (or Leicestershire’s "Sparkenhoe Vintage”)

2-3 garlic cloves, crushed (or 2-3 spring onions)

150-200ml Ownsworth’s Rapeseed Oil

Zest of one small lemon plus a teaspoon of lemon juice

salt and pepper

 

Method:

Firstly start to cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet whilst you make the simple and quick pesto.

Thoroughly wash and dry the curly kale, then carefully trim the leaves off the stems into fine pieces (it makes it easier to crush them with the pestle!) and set aside.

Into a pestle and mortar, add crushed garlic or spring onions which have been finely chopped. Now add the chopped finely chopped curly kale, grated Lincolnshire Poacher cheese.  Mash everything together and stir the pestle to combine all the ingredients.  Season with salt and pepper and the zest of one small lemon.

Finally add the rapeseed oil in a drizzle, again mashing everything together to make a lovely green zesty paste.

Once the pasta is cooked "al dente”  drain the pasta and tip into a warmed serving dish.

Spoon the curly kale pesto through the hot pasta, before sprinkling with slithers of Lincolnshire Poacher Cheese (you can use a potato peeler to do this) and a little more grated lemon zest.

Serve immediately.

Notice this pesto is made "nut free” but if you want to add some, why not try hazelnuts or walnuts which are grown all over Britain?

 

Look out for another recipe inspired by cuisines from other countries in my next month's blog.