Rigatoni Tossed in Mugwort Pesto

20260423, #BreakfastDiary 1699, 14°C/cloudy According to old medical texts, young mugwort picked in the third lunar month (injin) can treat illness, but mugwort from the fourth month (bongho) is fit only for firewood - because by the fourth month the stems thicken and the toxicity increases. It's still the third lunar month, so I blanch the young mugwort (injin) briefly in boiling water to make a pesto. About 600kcal, Rigatoni Tossed in Mugwort Pesto.

2 cups rigatoni, 2T ricotta cheese, a pinch of red pepper flakes, (mugwort pesto) plenty of mugwort, 50g cashews, 2 cloves garlic, 50g parmesan cheese, a little salt and pepper, blended while pouring in 150ml olive oil, 1t lemon juice

1. Trim off the thick stems of the mugwort and use only the leaves and tender stems. Salt the water, bring to a boil, blanch the mugwort for about 10 seconds, then plunge into cold water - the color turns vivid. Press out the water by hand. 2. In a food processor, combine the mugwort, 50g cashews, 2 cloves garlic, 50g parmesan cheese, and a little salt and pepper, blending while pouring in 150ml olive oil. Add 1t lemon juice. 3. Bring salted water to a boil in a pot and cook the rigatoni. 4. Put the rigatoni in a pan with the mugwort pesto from step 2 and a ladle of pasta water, and mantecare (emulsify) together. 5. Plate the rigatoni and top with ricotta cheese, olive oil, and red pepper flakes.