Broccoli Rabe Pesto

This broccoli rabe pesto is from the October issue of Food and Wine. All types of pesto, chipotle pesto with grilled chicken, cilantro and almond pesto on pizza, arugula and walnut pesto with whole wheat pasta, and traditional basil pesto, have found their way into my kitchen. So, when I read about this variation that was new to me, I had to try it. Broccoli rabe is pureed with pistachios, garlic, parsley, pecorino, and olive oil. It formed a thick spread which was mounded on crostini. I had some ricotta on hand, so some of the crostini were layered with it and then the pesto.

The broccoli rabe and pistachios were delicious together, and garlic and pecorino were, of course, excellent accompaniments. This made a perfect, simple lunch. More crostini and pesto were also very good with salad for dinner the next day, and there was still some pesto remaining after that. A cup or so was packed into the freezer, and it’s targeted for a pasta meal in the not too distant future. For the pasta, I’m guessing this somewhat dense pesto will need pasta cooking water and more olive oil to thin it a bit. I’m already thinking of the savory pureed vegetable and nuts, with a little sharpness of garlic and pecorino, enveloping some linguine. I can’t wait to use the rest of this pesto.

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