Linguine with Broccolini-Walnut Pesto

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Oh how I love me some pasta. So when I set out on my quest to find a new pasta recipe, I was intrigued by this particular, pesto pasta. It's not your typical pesto made with basil - this pesto is made with broccolini. Ok, so what's this broccolini I speak of? I was surprised to learn it's actually a natural hybrid of broccoli and kale. It's similar to broccoli but with smaller florets and longer, thin stalks. This makes it easier to break down and blend while making your pesto.

This pesto is so flavorful and savory, similar to most basil pesto sauces. I wanted to add a little sweetness to balance out the dish, so I threw in some garlic-roasted, cherry tomatoes. These beauties are so good, I found myself eating them on their own. I should mention that the pesto is very good on it's own too! I slathered some on a piece of bread along with a few tomatoes and well...heaven. Enjoy!

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Ingredients

Serves approximately 5-6

Broccolini-Walnut Pesto & Pasta

• ⅓ cup plus ¼ cup halved walnuts
• ½ pound broccolini
• 1 clove garlic, peeled
• ½ lemon, juiced
• Pinch of crushed red pepper
• Pinch of kosher salt
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 pound linguine

Garlic-Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

• 2 10oz containers of cherry tomatoes, halved
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons black pepper

Directions:

Pesto/Pasta

1. Pre-heat oven to 375F degrees.
2. Toss walnuts on a baking sheet and bake for 3-5 minutes, until fragrant and golden.
3. Remove walnuts from oven and let cool, then roughly chop and set aside.
4. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil.
5. Add broccolini and blanch until tender, usually 2-3 minutes. (Blanch a little extra for garnish, if desired)
6. Drain and rinse broccolini in cold water to cool, then drain again.
7. Chop and discard stems.
8. Add clove of garlic to food processor and mince.
9. Add the ⅓ cup walnuts and pulse until fine, scraping the walnuts from the edges of the bowl. 
10. Add the broccolini, lemon juice, red pepper and salt, processing until fine.
11. While processing, slowly add the olive oil.
12. Scrape down the bowl and add parmesan cheese and process until combined, adding additional salt if desired.
13. Cook linguini according to packaging instructions.
14. Combine pesto and linguini in a large bowl and serve.
15. Garnish with additional walnuts, roasted tomatoes and additional broccolini florets.

Garlic Roasted Tomatoes

1. In a medium bowl, toss tomatoes with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper.
2. Transfer to a baking sheet and spread out on to an even layer.
3. Bake for 20-25 minutes in 375 degree oven, until soft and fragrant.

All photos ©2017 Jonathan Stiers | Recipe adapted from Foodie Crush