Pesto Sauce with Arugula

An arugula sauce with olive oil, garlic, walnuts, and Parmesan cheese.

This rather special "pesto" where basil is replaced by arugula, may be used on pasta or to accompany grilled meats.

185 ml (0.75 cup)

Preparation 15 min

Recipe

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Ingredients

1 bunch	arugula	150 g
2 cloves	garlic
1/2 cup	walnuts	50 g
1/2 cup	Parmesan cheese, grated	26 g
1/3 cup	extra virgin olive oil	85 mL
1/4 tsp	salt, to be added at the last minute	1 g

A blender or food processor will be very useful to make the sauce.

Rinse the arugula well. Remove and discard any thick stems and the large leaf veins, then coarsely chop the leaves.
Drop the garlic and walnuts into a food processor and finely chop them. Stop the motor, add the arugula, then process until it is finely chopped. Gradually add the grated cheese and work the mixture into an evenly blended paste. Finally, slowly mix in the olive oil, until a creamy, but thick consistency is achieved. It is preferable to add the salt only later, when using the sauce, to avoid the darkening.
Transfer the pesto to a small bowl, cover with a plastic wrap and chill until ready to use.

The pesto keeps up to 7 days in the refrigerator or 2 months in the freezer.