Step 1

With this recipe you play with the amount of ingredients based on your likes & the strength of the garlic, arugula, etc.

Step 2

Best to use a mortar & pestle but if you don’t have one the food processor works just fine.

Step 3

In the mortal & pestle or the processor start off with your arugula and a drizzle of oil to get it working. Once pulverized add in 1 clove of garlic & continue to grind. Now add in your nuts, lemon juice and a bit of salt & pepper & give it one more grind. At this point abandon the mortal & pestle or the machine & dump the mixture into a bowl.

Step 4

Add a small handful of cheese and while continuously mixing add in the olive oil until you achieve your desired consistency. For crostini I would leave as a paste, for a pasta sauce keep it a bit looser - this is all based on the amount of olive oil you use.

Step 5

Now recheck your seasonings - more garlic? A little light on the acid? Add a squeeze of lemon. Is it flat? A pinch of salt will wake it up. Let sit for an hour or so to let the flavors incorporate. Store in the fridge. It will last a few days before the arugula will turn.

Step 6

Serve tossed over fresh pasta or rubbed over toasty bread with a ribbon of parmesan, a delicious topping for pizza or a beautiful frittata with a dollop of arugula pesto! There are a million ways to use this - enjoy!