Strip kale leaves from their stems, then soak them in a bath of boiling water. Throw them into a blender with some olive oil and grated cheese until they’re thoroughly puréed, and toss them with whatever pasta you have. (A mix of odds and ends? Sure!) That’s all it takes for a dinner that’s equal parts rich and light in this recipe, adapted by Tejal Rao from Joshua McFadden, the chef at Ava Gene’s in Portland, Oregon, who was inspired by Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers of The River Cafe in London.
Recipe from Joshua McFadden
Adapted by Tejal Rao
Yield: 2 servings as a main course or 4 as a side
Total time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
2 garlic cloves,
smashed flat and peeled
1 pound lacinato kale,
thick ribs removed
Freshly ground black
pepper
1/2 pound pasta, like
pappardelle or rigatoni
3/4 cup coarsely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Preparation:
1. Put a large pot of generously salted water over high heat, and bring to a boil. In a small skillet over medium heat, add olive oil and garlic, and cook until the garlic begins to sizzle. Reduce heat to low, and cook very gently until garlic is soft and begins to turn light gold, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
2. When water is boiling, add kale leaves, and cook until tender, but not mushy, about 5 minutes. Pull out the hot, dripping kale leaves with tongs, and put directly into a blender. (Don’t drain the pot; you’ll use that same boiling water to cook the pasta.) Add garlic and its oil to the blender, along with a splash of hot water from the pot if you need some more liquid to get the blender going. Blend into a fine, thick green purée. Taste, and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, then blend again.
3. Add the pasta to the still-boiling water, and cook according to directions on the package. Ladle out about a cup of the water to save for finishing the dish, then drain the pasta and return it to the dry pot. Add the kale purée, about 3/4 of the grated cheese and a splash of the reserved pasta water. Toss until all the pasta is well coated and bright green, adding another splash of pasta water if needed so that the sauce is loose and almost creamy in texture. Serve in bowls right away, and top with an extra drizzle of olive oil and the rest of the grated cheese. — NYT
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