Pasta with Creamy Kale Pesto

Preheat oven to 375 .

In a large pot, bring about 6 quarts of salted water to a boil. Add the elbow macaroni and cook for about 7 minutes until al dente (if you used a different pasta, follow the cooking instructions for al dente that are included on the package). Drain pasta, toss with a little olive oil, and set aside.

Give the garlic and pine nuts a rough chop, then whirl them together in the food processor until mashed. Add the 1/2 cup of olive oil, and give it another good whirl.

Into the food processor, add the kale and basil one cup at a time, processing until all leaves are chopped up.

Next, add in the cheeses and butter. Process until completely blended.

In a large bowl or pot, toss the pasta with the pesto until every noodle is covered. The pasta can be served as is at this point, or proceed to the baking steps below.

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Transfer pasta mixture to a baking dish (I used a large oval baker). Drizzle cream evenly over the top, then sprinkle on some Parmesan cheese and the 1 tablespoon of reserved pine nuts.

Bake at 375 F for about 15 minutes until golden.

Note: This is also delicious with leftover roasted chicken chopped up and tossed with the pasta.