Ingredients
Celery Leaf pesto
4 cups lightly packed fresh celery leaves
2 cloves garlic, peeled
½ cup finely grated parmesan (35g / 1.2oz)
¼ cup toasted unsalted cashews
2 teaspoons lemon juice
⅓ cup light extra virgin olive oil
Pasta
½ cup celery leaf pesto
300 g dried rigatoni pasta
2 tablespoons cashews, roughly chopped
1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
1-2 tablespoons finely grated parmesan
Method
STEP 1
Start by making the celery leaf pesto. Wash and dry celery leaves well.
STEP 2
Add celery leaves, garlic, Parmesan and toasted cashews to the bowl of a food processor and blend on low until finely chopped.
STEP 3
With the processor still on low, start drizzling in the olive oil in a slow steady stream.
STEP 4
Now the Pasta. Bring a large pot, half full with water to a boil. Add a good 3-4 teaspoons of salt to the water and stir. Add the pasta and cook according to packet instructions or until just al dente.
STEP 5
Scoop out 1 cup of the pasta water and set aside. Drain the pasta, discarding the remaining water. Add the pasta back to the pan and add the pesto, half the cashews and half the lemon juice. Stir well.
STEP 6
Add the pasta water a little at a time until the sauce is the consistency you like. Taste and add more lemon juice plus salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with the remaining cashews and parmesan scattered over the top.
Recipe by SugarSaltMagic