Risotto-style pasta with kale is creamy; for an extra touch, I’ve added anchovies, but it’s equally good with tuna, pancetta, speck, or sausage. For an extra touch, you can add olives, capers, or strips of sun-dried tomatoes.
SEASON and harvest of black kale (or kale, curly kale) – from October to April (after the first frosts, it becomes more pleasant and tender).
RECIPES with Tuscan black kale
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Seasonality: Fall, Winter
- Energy 230.22 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 27.82 (g) of which sugars 2.21 (g)
- Proteins 6.77 (g)
- Fat 10.61 (g) of which saturated 1.60 (g)of which unsaturated 0.70 (g)
- Fibers 2.82 (g)
- Sodium 577.73 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 275 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Risotto-style Pasta with Kale
- 14 oz black kale (net weight 7.8 oz)
- 11 oz pasta (short and compact, like Mista, Casarecce, Farfalle, Orecchiette, Reginette, Trofie, Strozzapreti)
- 1 clove garlic (optional)
- 0.7 oz anchovies in oil (or 1.8 oz of drained canned tuna)
- 2 cups cups water (for pasta cooking – or as needed)
- to taste salt
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (to toss the pasta, substitute butter if preferred)
For a vegan version use olives, capers, or strips of dried cherry tomatoes, and sprinkle with nutritional yeast flakes at the end of cooking.
For the vegetarian version enhance with grated cheese or creamy gorgonzola (gently heat gorgonzola pieces with a little milk to make it melt).
Tools
- Knife smooth blade
- Frying Pan deep and non-stick
- Pasta Pot
Risotto-style Pasta with Kale
To clean the kale, hold the stem at the base with one hand while grasping the initial green part of the leaf on both sides with the other hand and pull towards the tip. This method, called stripping, allows the green (or purple) part to easily separate from the central stem. Then wash the kale well under running water to remove any dirt residues.
Once cleaned, cut into strips or uniform pieces.
COOKING
In a large non-stick pan, pour a drizzle of oil, the anchovy fillets along with the garlic clove. Then gently heat and break the anchovies with a ladle.
Add the washed and cut kale, salt. Cover with a lid and cook, stirring when necessary and adding hot water if needed.
Meanwhile, bring water to a boil in the pasta pot, then when the water boils, add coarse salt and pasta. Take some pasta cooking water, the best is the white one formed at the beginning and rich in starch, it will be used to make the pasta risotto-style.
A few minutes before the pasta is done cooking, drain and add it to the pan with kale. Add the starch-rich water and cook the risotto-style pasta with kale. Before serving, add a drizzle of raw oil or butter.
How to STORE risotto-style pasta with kale
Pasta is always better consumed immediately.
Alternatively, transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. Make sure to consume it within 3 days. When consuming, gently heat it in a pan, adding a little broth or water to restore creaminess to the dish.
