Arugula Pesto

What to do with two bunches of arugula from the Farmer's Market? Make arugula pesto, or course! This easy and delicious recipe is adapted from Andrea Chesman's book, "Serving Up the Harvest."

8 cups arugula leaves, washed and trimmed
1/2 cup pine nuts (or walnuts)
2 garlic cloves
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the arugula and blanch until wilted, about 30 seconds. Remove the arugula with tongs and transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Let cool, then drain, squeezing out as much moisture as possible. If you're making pasta, you can use this water to cook it!

2. Chop the pine nuts and garlic in a food processor. Transfer the arugula to the food processor and process until finely chopped. Add the oil and parmesan and process until the mixture has the consistency of a thick paste. Add a little bit of water or more oil if you want to thin it out. Transfer to a bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

My favorite way to eat this is with whole wheat pasta and halved cherry tomatoes - yum!