Tuscan Kale Pesto

Tuscan kale pesto is a variant of the more famous Genoese pesto and fits perfectly into Italian cuisine with its fusion of fresh and tasty ingredients. Here’s how to prepare Tuscan kale pesto:

Ingredients

• 200 g of Tuscan kale (black cabbage) cleaned and stripped of the harder central stem
• 50 g of grated Parmesan cheese
• 30 g of pine nuts
• 1 clove of garlic
• 100 ml of extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt, to taste
• (Optional) a pinch of chili pepper

Preparation

1. Start by thoroughly cleaning the kale leaves, removing the central stems, and washing them under running water. Then, blanch them in salted water for about 5 minutes. This will help maintain a nice green color and reduce the bitterness of the kale.
2. Once blanched, drain the kale and immerse it in ice water to stop the cooking process and set the color.
3. Lightly toast the pine nuts in a skillet without adding oil to bring out their flavor. Be careful not to let them burn.
4. In the meantime, peel the garlic clove and, if you wish for a spicy note, prepare a pinch of chili pepper.
5. In a mixer, put the drained kale, toasted pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan, a pinch of salt, and start blending. Gradually add the extra-virgin olive oil until you reach a creamy consistency that is not too liquid.
6. Taste and adjust for salt if necessary.

You can use this pesto to dress pasta, such as whole-wheat pasta or trofie to stay on the Ligurian theme. It can also be used as a base for bruschetta or to flavor soups and stews.

A curiosity: Tuscan kale, or black cabbage, is a winter vegetable extremely rich in nutrients and is often used in traditional Tuscan recipes, like the famous ribollita. With this pesto, we have an example of how Italian cuisine is always open to reinventing its classics in a modern key.