This easy, classically flavored pesto uses baby kale leaves, because they’re softer than their Lacinato and curly counterparts — plus, there’s no dealing with discarding tough stems. Toasted pine nuts in the pesto, and as a garnish, lend to the nuttiness of our Rye Trumpets, made from organic grains from New York State.
MAKES FOUR SERVINGS
In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, toast the pine nuts for 2-3 minutes until browned, stirring frequently to make sure they don’t burn. Set aside to cool for a few minutes.
Add the garlic and ¼ cup of the pine nuts to a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Add the kale and lemon zest and juice and pulse until completely chopped, pushing down the sides if need be. Add the Parmesan. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, pulsing until well blended. Season liberally with Kosher salt and pepper, stirring to combine.
Meanwhile, cook the Rye Trumpets according to the package instructions, reserving ½ cup of the pasta water. Strain the Trumpets and pour them back into the cooking pot.
While the Trumpets are still warm, stir in the kale pesto and the remaining toasted pine nuts, thinning out with a little pasta water if you’d like. Serve warm with additional grated Parmesan.