Sicilian Broccoli, Kale and Pistachio Pesto

This pesto is inspired by an unforgettable meal during the Brain Health Retreat in Sicily last October. After a morning of wine tasting near Mt. Etna, our host led us to a family-owned trattoria in Randazzo, where the meal began with a potato and olive salad dotted with giant capers and tender local greens. Then came the star of the table: handmade pasta coated in the most impossibly green pesto—fresh, vibrant, and full of flavor. I asked to meet the cook, Paola, an elegant and ageless woman with strong hands who crafts pasta from scratch every day. Her sauce, made from regional greens we can’t find at home, was truly one of a kind. My version, made with kale, broccoli, and pistachios (a nod to the famous pistachios of Mt. Etna), captures the same brightness and nourishing spirit. I hope you enjoy this Sicilian-inspired dish as much as I loved the original.