Spinach Fettuccine with Walnut Arugula Pesto

This is a recipe from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food that I came across while planning out our weekly menu - we try to have one vegetarian night.  We get the magazine and I've always had good luck with recipes from Everyday Food.  They always have a ton of flavor, are relatively simple to make with easy to find ingredients.  This recipe is no exception.  File this in the make this tonight file (two days in a row - wow!)

I could not believe the flavor the pesto gave this pasta - wow, what a kick of garlic.  And you really get the peppery bite from the arugula and the nuttiness of the walnuts - it all works together to make an amazing dish.  And this is perfect for a weeknight meal because it can be made in the time it takes water to boil - plus 5 minutes to cook the pasta.

I made a few minor changes to the recipe - I halved the pasta (because 8 ounces is the size they sell at Trader Joe's) and some red pepper flakes for some mild heat.

Ingredients
5 Cloves of Garlic
4 Ounces of Arugula (or a little more than half of a 7 Ounce Bag)
3/4 cup of Chopped Walnuts
1/2 Teaspoon of Salt
1/2-3/4 Cup of Fresh Grated Parmesan Cheese
8 Ounces of Spinach Fettuccine
4 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
Fresh Ground Pepper

Directions
Start a large pot of water boiling on the stove.  While you're waiting for the water to boil, pulse the garlic cloves in a food processor until minced.  Add the walnuts and arugula and pulse until a paste is formed.

Stir in the salt and parmesan, and set aside.

Cook the pasta and drain - reserving 1/2 cup of the liquid.  Return the drained pasta to the pot and toss in the pesto, adding the olive oil, cracked pepper (and 2 Tablespoons of red pepper flakes, if desired.)  When you've given this a couple of tosses, add the pasta water and continue to toss until the pasta is evenly coated.

Enjoy!