Grandpa Joe's
Broccoli Rabe Pesto

Broccoli Rabe (rapini in Italian) has always been a favored vegetable.  I only recently discovered it makes a fabulous pesto.

About this recipe

When I think of pesto, I immediately think of the Italian classic basil pesto.  Broccoli Rabe (rapini in Italian) has always been a favored vegetable, but I only recently discovered that it also makes a fabulous pesto.  Either version can be used as a pizza topping (especially as a base for shiitake mushrooms and Grana Padano cheese), a pasta sauce, or as an appetizer.

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces fresh broccoli rabe, thick stems removed
  • 1 cup fresh Italian parsley, thick stems removed
  • 3 large cloves garlic
  • ¼ cup pine nuts
  • ¼ cup shelled pistachios
  • ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ cup pecorino Romano cheese
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

  1. Blanche the broccoli rabe in boiling water for exactly 3 minutes.  Remove to an ice bath.  Drain well, gently pressing out as much water as possible.
  2. Add the parsley, garlic, pine nuts, and pistachios to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the parsley is roughly chopped.
  3. Add the blanched broccoli rabe in 2 or 3 batches.  Pulse until the mixture is uniformly chopped.
  4. Add the olive oil and cheese.  Pulse, or process at low speed, until all ingredients are combined.
  5. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Broccoli Rabe Pesto and fresh Goat Cheese make a delicious appetizer piled atop almost any cracker or crusty bread.

Notes

  • Be sure to use your best extra virgin olive oil for this one!
Posted: February 2016.