Arugula Mascarpone Pesto

Arugula pesto

 We have some gorgeous arugula growing in our yard. I love the strong peppery taste of arugula. It is starting to get cold and it is time to use the arugula.
I decided to make pesto. I was a little worried that the arugula would be too strong, so I decided to balance the peppery taste with mascarpone. Yes, mascarpone. Yum.... I love mascarpone cheese.
I make my pesto differently than most people. I add the arugula (or basil or parsley or spinach) last. I don't want to over process the arugula.You may also use walnuts, almonds, or hazelnuts instead of pine nuts.If you are serving this with pasta, reserve about a cup of pasta water and add about a tablespoon of the pasta water to each bowl of pasta when you mix the pasta with the pesto.

Pesto

1/2 Cup (68 g) Pine Nuts, Lightly Toasted
1/2 Cup (100 g) of Parmesan Cheese
4 Cloves of Garlic
1/4 Cup (60 ml) of Olive Oil
2 Handfuls (56 g) of Arugula
1/2 Cup (113 g) of Mascarpone Cheese

Combine pine nuts, cheese, and garlic in a food processor and process until smooth.

Processed pine nuts, garlic, and cheese

Slowly add olive oil until well combined. Add arugula and process until arugula is chopped and well mixed.

Arugula waiting to be mixed in

Place pesto into a bowl and fold in the mascarpone.

Fold in mascarpone cheese

Final pesto

The bottom line: will we make this again? Yes, I like the peppery taste of the arugula and the creaminess that the macarpone adds.