Constellation is the name of Bridgework’s Buyers’ Collaborative. As part of that initiative, we share recipes and information for using and preserving fresh foods.
Spinach Pesto
This week, Constellation members ordered a large quantity of spinach. Fresh spinach can be used in a multitude of ways and easily frozen for later use. Most often, when spinach is sold fresh, it comes in 1/2 lb bags or bunches- for this reason, I created the recipe based on using a 1/2 lb of spinach. It’s quick and easy, so this recipe can be used to create a fast and fresh Spring meal, or can be used to set aside pesto to use with pasta, in soups, and on sandwiches in Winter. I envision adding it to our Friday Night Pizza on dark and cold nights.
If you don’t have a scale, and didn’t buy spinach in 8 oz bunches, this is what a 1/2 lb looks like. It is enough to over flow a salad bowl.
If making pesto in a blender, vitamix or food processor- it helps to put the firmer ingredients in closer to the blades and the more tender ingredients on top.
Puree the mixture until the ingredients are all incorporated. That half pound of spinach and the other ingredients should end up crushing down to about this much pesto.
If you are eating the pesto fresh with pasta, you can now add it to your waiting noodles. I usually reserve about a 1/4 of pasta water to add back to the pasta in the pot and then add the pesto and mix to incorporate. This is a pretty mild pesto, and can be eaten hot or room temperature.
If you are planning to freeze your pesto, you can now place 1/2 cup scoops of pesto on a baking sheet lined with parchment. I do not use re-usable parchment here because, once the pesto is frozen I cut up the sheet and wrap each half cup of pesto in the parchment before adding to the freezer container.
Place the baking sheet in the freezer until the pesto is solidly frozen, usually about 2-3 hrs. Then remove from freezer, cut the parchment and wrap each pesto serving completely in parchment before adding to your freezer container. I use wide mouth mason/ball jars or freezer bags. The parchment helps keep the pesto fresher and prevents any sticking between servings. When ready to use the pesto, remove from freezer and drop into soups and pastas, or defrost to use on sandwiches and pizzas.
Constellation Spinach Pesto
PREP TIME: 5 MIN COOKING TIME: 2 MIN SERVES: 4-6
Ingredients
Pesto:
8oz spinach
1.5 cups walnuts
1tsp salt
3-4 garlic cloves
Pepper to your taste
3.5 oz of parmesan cheese 1.5 tbsp olive oil
Materials for freezing:
tray and parchment paper
freezer safe container: mason jars, glass or plastic containers, freezer bags
Directions
1. Crush garlic and chop parmesan cheese into cubes.
2. Place these in a blender, Vitamix, or food processor first, followed by the spinach ( you might have to push it in there to fit), walnuts, salt, pepper, and olive oil.
3. Close the lid and process until all is smooth and the texture is consistent.
4. If you are eating the pesto fresh with pasta, you can now add it to your waiting noodles. I usually reserve about a 1/4 of pasta water to add back to the pasta in the pot and then add the pesto and mix to incorporate. This is a pretty mild pesto, and can be eaten hot or room temperature.
5. If you are planning to freeze your pesto, you can now place 1/2 cup scoops of pesto on a baking sheet lined with parchment. I do not use re-usable parchment here because, once the pesto is frozen I cut up the sheet and wrap each half cup of pesto in the parchment before adding to the freezer container.
6. Place the baking sheet in the freezer until the pesto is solidly frozen, usually about 2-3 hrs. Then remove from freezer, cut the parchment and wrap each pesto serving completely in parchment before adding to your freezer container. I use wide mouth mason/ball jars or freezer bags. The parchment helps keep the pesto fresher and prevents any sticking between servings. When ready to use the pesto, remove from freezer and drop into soups and pastas, or defrost to use on sandwiches and pizzas.