Green Garlic Pesto

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 whole green garlic shoots trimmed of the dark green tips and cut into 2-inch pieces

• 1 handful fresh parsley leaves

• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

• 1/2 cup pine nuts

• 3/4 teaspoon sea salt

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 8 ounces uncooked penne pasta

PREPARATION:

1. To the carafe of a food processor, add green garlic, parsley, Parmesan, pine nuts, sea salt and pepper. Pulse 10-15 times, until ingredients are relatively well-blended, scraping down the sides in the middle of blending. Slowly drizzle in olive oil and continue blending until you get a well-combined pesto texture. Scoop into a bowl and set aside while the pasta cooks to let the flavors meld.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add kosher salt to the water.  Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 9 minutes. Drain and rinse pasta.

3. Spoon pesto over hot penne pasta and serve immediately.