The Editors of Saveur

Farfalle with Cavolo Nero Pesto

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Preparation info
  • Serves

    4

    • Difficulty

      Easy

Appears in
Italian Comfort Food
Italian Comfort Food

By The Editors of Saveur

Published 2015

  • About

When most people think of pesto, the traditional Genovese version—made with basil and pine nuts—comes to mind. In this rendition, sweet and nutty cavolo nero (also known as lacinato kale or Tuscan kale) replaces both of those ingredients. The pesto is paired with farfalle (“butterflies”), commonly called bow ties.

Ingredients

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2½ lb. cavolo nero (lacinato) kale, trimmed
  • 4 cloves

Method

  1. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook kale and 2 cloves garlic until kale is bright green, 3–4 minutes; drain. Transfer kale, garlic, and ¼ cup oil to a food processor and purée. Transfer pesto to a large bowl. Crush remaining garlic cloves with sea salt and stir into pest