Spring Pesto Bucatini Pasta With Asparagus and Kale

February 25, 2024

I love the changing of seasons and the culinary markers for each. Spring brings asparagus and leaves of tender baby kale and fragrant mint. I made this pesto using fresh chopped asparagus spears, tender kale leaves, lime juice, garlic, pistachios, olive oil and Parmigiano Reggiano. I tossed with bucatini, which I prefer to spaghetti. Bucatini is a bit larger and has a teeny-tiny hole running through each strand, allowing pasta sauce to soak into it, giving it more flavor and sauce for every bite.

Ingredients

1 poundfresh tender asparagus spears, trimmed, and chopped

1/2 cupshelled pistachios

2 handlesbaby kale, rinsed and patted dry

1–2garlic cloves

juice of one lime

3/4 cupshredded Parmigiano Reggiano

1/2 cupolive oil

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 poundpound bucatini pasta

grape or cherry tomatoes, chopped

Preparation

1. Add chopped asparagus spears and pistachios to a food processor and pulse until roughly chopped. Add kale and garlic and pulse several times. Add lime juice and 1/2 cup Parmigiano. Pulse a few times until coarse. With processor running drizzle in olive oil.

2. Scrape pesto out into a bowl. Stir in salt and black pepper to taste.

3. Cook Bucatini according to package directions and drain well. Save 1 cup of hot pasta water.

4. Toss hot pasta with a generous portion of the pesto and hot pasta water. Top with chopped tomatoes and additional Parmigiano. Store leftover pesto in a jar with a tight-fitting lid chilled for up to 2 weeks or freeze.