Pesto change-o: Up your pasta game with new take on pesto
Generous pinch of Maldon or other flaky sea salt
1/2 cup, plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino Romano
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 (1-pound) package linguine
Place the garlic in a food processor and pulse to chop it. Add the kale and pulse until finely chopped. Add the almonds and sea salt and, with the motor running, quickly drizzle in 1/2 cup of the oil.
Transfer the pesto to a small bowl and stir in 1/4 cup of the pecorino. (At this point, the pesto can be stored in a tightly sealed jar, topped with a thin layer of extra-virgin olive oil, in the refrigerator for two weeks.)
Bring 8 quarters of water to a boil in a large pot, and add the kosher salt. Place 1 cup of the pesto in a large, warmed serving bowl. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions until just al dente. Just before draining, remove 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water and place it in the bowl with the pesto.
Drain the pasta well and add it to the bowl with the pesto and pasta water. Toss the pasta to dress well. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and serve immediately with the remaining pecorino on the side for sprinkling.
(Mario Batali is the chef behind 25 restaurants, including Eataly, Del Posto and his flagship Greenwich Village enoteca, Babbo.)
