Black cabbage and hazelnut pesto, surprising

A plate of pasta is always a time-saving idea for a quick lunch or dinner and a way to please everyone. But we often don't know what to serve it with! In reality, if we rely on seasonal ingredients, the possibilities are endless.

In winter, for example, we have a huge variety of cabbages at our disposal, of every type and color, a feast for the eyes . These cruciferous vegetables are rich in minerals (including iron), vitamins (especially vitamin C and folic acid), antioxidants, fiber, and chlorophyll. In short, they are invaluable allies, both in helping us stay strong and balanced during the cold season and because they cook quickly.

Today's star is cavolo nero , which I love both in soups and as a side dish, but which also lends itself well to delicious, healthy, and light sauces and dressings. I paired it with toasted hazelnuts, which add a sweet note and help enrich the sauce with their "good fats." You can actually modify the recipe to your liking with other vegetables, such as broccoli or cabbage, or replace the hazelnuts with almonds or pumpkin seeds. As always, these recipes are a starting point for unleashing your creativity... and making use of what you have in the fridge!

Finally, for pasta, I chose a classic linguina made with ancient Senatore Cappelli durum wheat: this wheat is exceptional for pasta because it makes it truly unique and digestible.

But let's see what we need.

• 160g Senatore Cappelli durum wheat linguine
• 150g black cabbage
• 1/2 leek
• 20g toasted hazelnuts (or almonds)
• 2 tablespoons of pumpkin and sunflower seeds
• Tamari (soy sauce)
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Whole sea salt

• Bring a pot of water to a boil, add salt, and toss in the pasta. Cook for the time indicated on the package.
• Meanwhile, clean the leek and the black cabbage, removing the central rib. Cut the vegetables into thin strips (1) .
• Heat the oil in a pan, add the leek with a pinch of salt and sauté over high heat for 1-2 minutes. Add the cavolo nero with a pinch of salt, sauté for a couple of minutes, then lower the heat and cover. Let the vegetables stew in their liquid for about 10-15 minutes, adding a little water if necessary (2) .

• Transfer the vegetables into the blender, add the hazelnuts, a little of the pasta cooking water (3) and blend until you obtain a velvety and soft cream, not too dense (4) . You don't need any more oil because there are hazelnuts!
• Toast the seeds in a small pan and finally add a little tamari. Turn off the heat and let the seeds dry in the pan.
• Drain the pasta and season with the pesto, garnish with the toasted tamari seeds and some chopped hazelnuts to give the dish a crunchy touch (5) . Serve and enjoy hot! Bon Appetit!

• For a more elegant presentation, you can use a pastry cutter or a ladle to shape the linguine and arrange the pesto at the base of the plate and on top of the pasta.
• For a more lively version, you can add a pinch of fresh ginger to the cavolo nero and hazelnut pesto.