Hello, hello. Welcome back to another post on my food blog! Today is another original Korean-Italian Fusion recipe, in which I incorporate the humble Korean vegetable, Kkaetnip (or Perilla leaf). This pasta was one of the very first recipes that I’ve developed, and now is a mainstay in my household. The best part of it? It should only take you about 15 minutes total to make!
Kkaetnip has a very unique taste and distinct flavor. It almost reminds me of basil leaves and how beautifully aromatic they are. I also love how it pairs perfectly with so many different dishes, and how it isn’t tied to any one cuisine. It has a nice grassy flavor with hints of anise or licorice, and smells like mint. These amazing qualities are what led me to think that it would be PERFECT to incorporate into a pesto sauce.
Kkaetnip is one of those vegetables that is just so versatile, like kimchi. You could eat it in so many different ways: as a pickled side dish, as a wrap for Korean BBQ, and more! (Check out thekitchn’s post on KBBQ perilla wraps!)
Furthermore, there are some people that actually use perilla leaf extracts for its medicinal properties, such as antioxidant, antiallergic, anti-inflammatory, antidepressant, anorexigenic, and tumor-preventing properties. [Source] Although there aren’t any conclusive studies done or evidence collected, it is still cool to know that it could potentially be true.
Kkaetnip is a personal favorite of mine when it comes to vegetable wraps. If I were to go to a Korean BBQ restaurant and make a wrap for myself, the first thing I would go for is the beautiful kkaetnip. It’s so damn delicious and I hope that it could become popular enough that everyone would enjoy it. You could find it at any Korean supermarket, like H-Mart or Hanyang mart. You could even grow it yourself at home in your garden! (Which is what many Korean families do, especially in the summer)
Perilla Leaves – I’m showcasing the beautiful, humble Korean vegetable
Pine Nuts – For the pesto sauce
Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Vehicle for the pesto sauce
Garlic – Aromatic
Lemon Juice – For acidity
Basil leaves – For garnish (may substitute with spinach or fresh parsley)
Cherry Tomatoes – I love how these tomatoes taste and look in this dish. It provides a nice, sweet and fresh taste, as well as some color and texture in every bite.
Pasta – I would recommend using spaghetti or rotini/fusilli (to really carry the sauce well) but you may use whatever pasta you love.
Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese – Provides a nice salty, fatty, and flavorful component to the sauce & dish for garnish (may substitute with Pecorino Romano or regular Parmesan cheese)
Kkaetnip Pesto Pasta (Perilla Leaf Pesto)
Try this amazingly simple, yet flavorful dish that I call Kkaetnip Pesto Pasta! I’ve incorporated the humble perilla leaf. Hope you enjoy!
Ingredients
- For Pesto Sauce:
- 4 bunches of perilla leaves, rinsed and roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (may substitute with regular Parmesan or Pecorino Romano)
- 1/3-1/2 cup EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
- 1/2 cup pine nuts
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- Salt & Pepper, to taste
- For Pasta:
- 8 oz Pasta of your choice (I would recommend spaghetti or rotini/fusilli)
- 2 tbsp EVOO
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 cherry tomatoes, halved (optional)
- 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted for garnish
- 2-3 Basil leaves, for garnish (may substitute with spinach or parsley)
- Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for garnish
Instructions
First, bring about 4 cups of water to a boil. Meanwhile, prepare your ingredients for your pesto sauce. Rinse and chop the perilla leaves. Mince 4 cloves of garlic (only use half to make pesto sauce). Use a box grated to grate 1/2 cup of fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Measure about 1/2 cup of pine nuts and 1/3-1/2 cup of olive oil. Add all your ingredients into a blender and blend it until nice and chunky (about 1-2 minutes). Add in your lemon juice and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Mix well and set sauce aside.
Once the water is boiling, season it with salt and olive oil and add in your pasta. Cook pasta while stirring it occasionally until 2 minutes before al dente. Reserve a cup of pasta water.
In a large nonstick pan on medium-high heat, sweat down the remaining minced garlic in 2 tbsp of olive oil for 30 seconds. Then, add in your pesto sauce and some of the reserved pasta water. Lower it to medium-low heat and add in the cooked pasta. Mix it well to coat the pasta in the sauce. Then add in the halved cherry tomatoes and stir until nice and thick (about 1-2 minutes). Take it off the heat and set aside.
In a small nonstick skillet, toast about 1/4 cup of pine nuts until nicely browned (about 2 min, make sure not to burn them).
Plate up the pasta. Garnish with toasted pine nuts, grated cheese, and basil leaves. Enjoy!
Kathy Yang
March 1, 2022 at 2:53 pmDelicious looking !!
Andrew
March 2, 2022 at 3:15 amThank you! 🙂