Recipe: Penne with Fennel Pesto

This is a pesto that I learned to make during my externship at Craft. It was a dish that was prepared for the staff ‘family meal.’ The fennel bulbs were used for dishes on the menu, and all the fronds were left over. They were put to good use in this pesto that, at first glance, looks like the more common basil pesto. The taste is not unlike basil pesto, in that it has garlic, olive oil, nuts and parmesan cheese. But the fennel fronds have a fresh, green, and lightly anise-scented flavor that distinguishes it from the richly perfumed taste of basil.

When I have fennel at home, I get the most out of it by preparing the bulb one day (I love it roasted) and making the pesto out of the fronds on another day. You’ll have enough pesto left over from this pasta recipe to put in sandwiches or to brush onto some grilled fish.

 

Makes 4 servings, plus leftover pesto

Preparation time: 30 minutes

 

1/3 cup pistachios, toasted

1-2 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped

1 ounce (about ½ cup) freshly grated Parmesan

1 teaspoon salt, plus more for pasta water

Ground black pepper, to taste

2 cups lightly packed fennel fronds (usually from 2 fennel bulbs with a good amount of fronds on them)

optional: 4-5 mint leaves, torn

about ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

juice of ½ lemon, or to taste

1 pound penne pasta

1 cup frozen peas

 

1. Put the pistachios, garlic, cheese, salt, and pepper in a food processor. Pulse a few times to grind slightly.

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2. Add fennel and mint, if using, to the food processor. With the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil until the mixture is reduced to a paste and has a spreadable, but not greasy consistency. Taste and add salt if necessary. Squeeze in a little bit of lemon juice to taste.
   

   
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3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Salt the water generously and cook the pasta until al dente.
4. While the pasta is cooking, set up a colander in the sink and put the frozen peas in it. (If you have fresh peas, by all means use them. You can add them to the boiling water in the last few minutes of cooking the pasta.)

5. When the pasta is done, drain the pasta in the colander. Return the pasta, along with the peas, into the pot. Stir in the pesto until pasta is lightly coated and flavorful. Squeeze in a little lemon juice, to taste.

   

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6. Serve hot or at room temperature.

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Comments

[Tricia]

Yum, I have been making tons of pesto lately because it is so easy to do in my baby food maker! Last time I tried a pea pesto but it was a little bland. I best this would be super flavorful and interesting. I can't wait to try it over the summer!

[Julia]

I'm so glad to have this suggestions for fennel fronds! We love using fennel bulbs in all kinds of recipes, but I've never quite known what to do with the fronds. This sounds delicious -- thank you. [any suggestions for the stalks?]

[Kumiko]

Julia - Yes, the stalks! Can't let those go to waste. How about using them to make a vegetable or chicken stock, along with some onion/leeks, garlic, carrots, celery?

[Raws]

Well, I made it and it tasted lovely. BUT it's given both me & partner terrible indigestion, seems like fennel fronds are not made to be eaten raw in bigger quantities...!
Sadly will have to chuck the rest of it away... :(

[Kumiko]

I'm very sorry to hear that, Raws. I haven't experienced any trouble myself when eating or serving it. Maybe it was the fiber. Raw garlic -- a common ingredient in many pestos -- can also cause indigestion in some people.

[Susan]

I just got some fennel in the CSA box last week and was wondering what to do. Thank you! But the only nuts I have in the house are raw almonds. I also have raw sunflower seeds....would either one of these work in a pinch, do you think?

[Kumiko]

Hi Susan - either one would be great in the fennel pesto! Raw almonds have a nice fruity flavor that would go well here, but toasting the almonds or sunflower seeds would bring out their nutty, earthy side. You've got some great options!

[Danny]

I'm gonna try this with my dad's wild fennel which he grows. Wild fennel is all fonds.

[Sue from Pleasanton]

I've been reading a lot of pesto recipes this morning, and one reviewer suggested blanching greens to make them more digestible.