Categories: Pasta
Ingredients
- 1/2 red onion, quartered through root end
- 8 cups torn mixed greens and tender herbs
- Kosher salt
- 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds, plus more for serving
- 1/2 cup grated ricotta salata, divided
- 3 tbsp. plus 1/4 cup olive oil
- 8 garlic cloves, smashed
- 12 oz fusilli
- 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
Directions
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Cook onion and mixed greens and herbs in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 2 minutes. Using a spider or tongs, transfer to a bowl of ice water and swish around in the water to cool down as quickly as possible. Drain and gently squeeze to remove excess liquid, then press between a double layer of paper towels to remove as much remaining liquid as possible. Reserve pot with greens cooking liquid.
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Process 1/4 cup sesame seeds in a food processor until finely ground. Add onion and greens mixture and 1/4 cup ricotta salata and process until a coarse paste forms. With motor running, stream in 3 tbsp. oil and process, adding water by the tablespoonful if needed to thin, until pesto is very smooth.
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Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium. Add garlic and cook, stirring often, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add pesto and cook, stirring, until sauce looks like most of the moisture has been cooked out, about 1 minute.
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Meanwhile, bring reserved pot of greens liquid to a boil and cook pasta, stirring occasionally, until very al dente.
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Using tongs, transfer pasta to pot with pesto and add 1/2 cup pasta cook liquid. Cook, tossing, until each strand of pasta is coated. Remove from heat, add butter, and toss to combine.
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Divide pasta among bowls. Top with more sesame seeds and remaining 1/4 cup ricotta salata and drizzle with oil.