Whole Wheat Pasta with Kale Pesto

Ingredients

• 1 bunch lacinato kale, stems removed and leaves torn into large pieces
• 1/2 cup unsalted cashews
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan or Romano
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Water, as needed, to thin the pesto
• 1 pound whole wheat linguine, spaghetti, or bucatini.
• 2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice, or to taste
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1-inch pieces

Directions

1. Fill a large pot with salted water and bring it to a full boil. Set a large bowl of ice water nearby.
2. Drop in the kale and stir for 15 seconds, just until it softens and turns a darker green. Lift it out with a slotted spoon and move it into the ice water. If you prefer, drain it in a colander and rinse it under cold water instead. Leave the cooking water in the pot for the pasta.
3. Press the kale firmly in your hands to get rid of extra moisture. For the pesto, add the cashews and garlic to a food processor and pulse a few times, until the pieces are small. Add the kale and Parmesan, then pulse again until everything is finely chopped, stopping to scrape the bowl with a spatula when needed.
4. While the processor is running, stream in the olive oil. Add the salt and pepper. To loosen the pesto, blend in water 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches the thickness you want. Taste, then season with more salt and pepper if it needs it.
5. Bring the reserved pot of water back up to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, 7 to 10 minutes, using the package timing as a guide.
6. Before draining, scoop out 1 cup of the pasta water and set it aside. Drain the pasta in a colander.
7. Tip the drained pasta back into the now-empty pot and coat it with the lemon juice. Spoon in 1 cup pesto, or a bit more if you like, and toss once more. If the sauce feels too thick or dry, work in the reserved pasta water 1 tablespoon at a time, just until it coats the noodles. Fold in the mozzarella pieces and serve.