Bowl of farfalle with arugula-walnut pesto.
Entrées,  Recipes,  Vegetarian

Moldy Cheese Day: Arugula-Walnut Pesto Farfalle

I love these weird food holidays. I saw this one and thought it would be a great day to use up some of the leftover gorgonzola from when I made Quinoa Salad with Apple, Chickpeas, Toasted Almonds & Apple Cider Vinaigrette a few days ago. This was a really interesting combination of ingredients. The plump, sweetness from the raisins was great with the tang from the lemon zest and gorgonzola. The pesto is simple and tasty. This was a really nice, different spin on pasta, and we really enjoyed it.

Bowl of farfalle with arugula-walnut pesto.

Arugula-Walnut Pesto Farfalle
Sunset June 2010

Yield: Serves 4
Total: 30 Minutes

12 ounces farfalle pasta
2 cups baby arugula
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 cup toasted walnut pieces, divided
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3/4 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese
1/2 cup golden raisins

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.

2. Whirl together arugula, zest, garlic, 1/4 cup walnuts, the oil, salt, and pepper in a food processor until blended, scraping inside of bowl as needed.

3. Drain pasta, reserving about 1/4 cup of the water. Return pasta to pot and add pesto, stirring to coat. Stir in remaining walnuts, the cheese, raisins, and reserved pasta water.

Note: Nutritional analysis is per 1 1/2-cup serving.

Amount per serving
Calories: 740
Calories from fat: 45%
Protein: 22g
Fat: 37g
Saturated fat: 8.1g
Carbohydrate: 84g
Fiber: 6.5g
Sodium: 535mg
Cholesterol: 19mg

Big Flavors Rating: 4 Stars

Ashley Covelli is a food photographer, recipe developer, and culinary instructor based in Ossining, New York. She loves helping people become enthusiastic and adventurous in the kitchen so that they can build skills and confidence to cook for themselves and their loved ones. She can almost always be found with at least 3 different beverages within arm's reach.

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