Kale Pesto Pasta

Ingredients

• 1 lb pasta
• 4 cups kale, chopped, loosely packed
• 1/3 cup olive oil, or as needed
• 1 large lemon
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/3 cup Parmesan, grated
• 1/2 tsp salt, or as needed
• Freshly cracked pepper to taste
• 4 oz. mozzarella, optional

Directions

1. Fill a large pot with salted water and bring it to a boil for the pasta. When it is bubbling, add the pasta and keep it boiling until the pasta is tender. Drain it in a colander, then let it cool.
2. While the pasta cooks, make the pesto. Strip the kale leaves away from the tough stems, then give the leaves a rough chop into narrow ribbons. Put the kale in a colander, rinse it with cool water, and let the extra water drip off.
3. Transfer the chopped, rinsed kale to a food processor with the olive oil, 1/4 cup lemon juice, garlic, walnuts, Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Process until the pesto is smooth and vividly green. If it needs help turning into a thick, smooth sauce, drizzle in more oil. Taste, then tweak the salt, pepper, or lemon juice however you like. Set the pesto aside.
4. When the pasta has drained and cooled enough that it is not giving off steam anymore, move it to a large bowl. Spoon in about half the pesto and toss until the pasta is coated.
5. Cut the mozzarella into small cubes, then add it to the pasta with about 1 Tbsp lemon zest. Stir everything together with the pesto pasta. Add more pesto as needed, until it is all covered in a thick layer. Finish with more freshly cracked pepper and serve, or refrigerate until you are ready to eat.